Gryffindor & Slytherin: The Chamber of Secrets
by Jourdana Standish
Summary: What happens when the barriers that were erected between Gryffindor & Slytherin begin to crumble? Read this ongoing story to find out. Pairings listed in Author's Notes. Please R/R! Updated: July 22, 2002
1. Chapter 1- Second Year- Part 1

Gryffindor & Slytherin  
  
By Jilly and Renee  
  
Disclaimer: We don't own Harry Potter. The only thing in this particular work of fanfiction that we do own are our original characters. Don't sue us, we have nothing that's worth any value, and this is just for fun. While we are not plagiarists, for the sake of the story in which we have started it, we are paraphrasing books 2-4 to allow our story to mesh through those years and for a lot of the actions of the characters to make sense.  
  
Pairings: Hermione/Draco; Ron/OFC, Harry/OFC, Ginny/Terrence, Fred/OFC, George/OFC, Oliver/OFC, Dumbledore/McGonagall, Snape/OFC, Goyle/Lavendar, Percy/OFC  
  
~~  
  
Harry sat down at breakfast and looked at Hermione. "Are you still mad at us?"  
  
Hermione looked, "Who said anything about being mad? Just because I think you all are complete twits for being so idiotic as to do what you did doesn't mean I'm mad at you."  
  
Ron rolled his eyes, "That's all then. You just think we're idiotic twits."  
  
Hermione didn't even look up from her breakfast when Ron spoke, "Yes."  
  
Harry glanced over at the Slytherin table, noticing that Draco was watching him. He looked at the young woman sitting next to Draco and found it hard to explain what his mind started thinking. "Hermione, who's that? Next to Draco."  
  
"Well if you two hadn't done what you did last night, you'd know wouldn't you?"  
  
Harry looked, "Hermione, please, just tell me."  
  
"Her name is Autumn…"  
  
"She's pretty." Harry said, a bit distracted.  
  
"Autumn Malfoy, Harry. She's Draco's younger sister."  
  
Harry choked on the pumpkin juice he was drinking. "Malfoy has a younger sister."  
  
Ron looked, "No surprise she's in Slytherin. Probably just like him."  
  
Harry nodded, just staring at her. He'd never seen anyone like her. He couldn't find words to describe it.  
  
~~  
  
Autumn sat next to her brother and listened as he talked. "That's him Autumn. That's Potter."  
  
Autumn looked at the boy who Draco was pointing too. She noticed he was staring at her too. "He doesn't seem to be as bad as you make him out to be Draco."  
  
"He is. Along with his two friends, that mudblood Granger, and Weasley. Be careful around them Autumn. They're trouble."  
  
"Yes brother." Autumn got up and gathered her things. She had potions first, and then transfiguration class with McGonagall. She didn't want to be late for any of them on her first day. "I'll see you at lunch Draco."  
  
~~  
  
Harry watched Autumn get up from the table, and he followed her out of the hall. "I can't believe Malfoy has a sister."  
  
Ron and Hermione looked at Harry, "Are you still stuck on that?" Ron looked at Harry incredulously. "Come on Harry. We'll be late for History of Magic."  
  
Harry nodded and got his books and things. "Hermione are you coming?"  
  
Hermione nodded and got up following them.  
  
~~  
  
Harry left lunch early to go to the library. He already had a paper due for History of Magic, and he knew he was going to need to do some research for it. Ron had forgotten something in the dorm room so he was going to meet Harry at the library so they could work on their homework together. Harry rounded a corner to look down a particular row of books and collided with someone with enough force to knock them both down.  
  
Autumn looked up as she ran into a wall and landed on the floor. Her books and papers flew everywhere. Autumn looked up and her breath caught as she saw Harry Potter staring back at her. "Um... excuse me."  
  
Harry looked and nodded, "Sorry. I should have been watching where I was going. Was a bit distracted."  
  
Autumn got up and started pulling her papers close to her. "It's okay. I wasn't watching either."  
  
Harry nodded and handed her a book, "I think this ones' yours."  
  
Autumn nodded, "Thanks."  
  
"I'm… Harry Potter."  
  
"Autumn Malfoy. A pleasure, I'm sure." Autumn smiled putting her hand out.  
  
Harry took it and shook it, for a bit longer than he should. He didn't want to let go though. He felt a slight tingle when their hands met and it felt good.  
  
Autumn looked, "Well, um… I should get going."  
  
Harry nodded, "Nice to meet you."  
  
"You too. Bye Harry."  
  
Harry watched her go, "Bye Autumn."  
  
~~  
  
Harry pulled the book he needed, no even looking to make sure he got the right one, and then he turned to leave. He looked up at Ron and immediately got flustered. Ron didn't look really happy.  
  
"She's the enemy Harry. You were actually talking to Malfoy's sister."  
  
"She's not the enemy Ron. She's just Autumn."  
  
"Autumn MALFOY." Ron said. "Honestly Harry, do you really think she's not going to be like Draco?" Ron looked, "I'm just saying be careful Harry."  
  
"I can choose what sort for myself, remember Ron."  
  
Ron sighed and rolled his eyes, "Whatever Harry. Come on, we need to get to work on that paper; it's going to take forever. I can't believe it. Homework on the first day of class."  
  
Harry nodded, sitting down next to him. He opened his history book with every thought of getting his work done, but his mind was definitely elsewhere. Elsewhere on a pair of bluish gray eyes, long blonde hair and a soft voice that belonged to of all people, the little sister of his sworn enemy. Harry sighed and shook his head to clear it of her and started to work with Ron on their homework.  
  
~~  
  
"Well if it isn't Potty and Weasel," Draco said as he walked up to Hermione, Harry and Ron a few days later. His ever faithful sidekicks, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle stood with him. Autumn stood beside her brother as well. She was watching him rather oddly.  
  
"Sod off, Malfoy," Hermione said a bit tiredly. She had worried about Ron all night due to the slug incident that had involved Malfoy.  
  
"So the mudblood's defending her boyfriends, hmm?" Draco said with a sneer.  
  
"Draco," Autumn said astonished.  
  
"You are such a prat!" Hermione snapped. She looked apologetically at the blonde girl at his side. "Sorry Autumn."  
  
"It's all right," Autumn said. "I tend to agree with you right now." She looked at her brother, her hand on her hip as she cocked her eyebrow in irritation.  
  
"How do you know her?" Draco demanded.  
  
"We're in transfiguration together," Autumn said. "I'm more advanced in it so they put me in the second year's class. Hermione and I are desk mates."  
  
"I pity you," Draco drawled lazily.  
  
Hermione shoved past him, not letting him see just how much his words hurt. She didn't understand why they did, normally Malfoy's words meant nothing to her. They were usually the ramblings of a prat she tended to ignore, but they cut straight to the quick today. Ron glared at Malfoy and headed after Hermione. Harry glanced briefly at Autumn before he too followed.  
  
"Why are you acting like Father?" Autumn asked, breaking into her brother's thoughts as he watched the trio walk away. Draco turned and looked at her.  
  
"We'll meet you in Charms," Crabbe mumbled, tugging on Goyle's cloak.  
  
Draco absently nodded as he continued to study his sister. He was astonished at times just how much Autumn knew of the evil their father was capable of. "Don't make that sort of reference," he finally said to her.  
  
"Then don't act like him," Autumn said. "Why you do treat them like that? Especially Hermione? She's an amazing person if you just let yourself get to know her."  
  
"If Father ever found out," Draco said, trailing off.  
  
"Father is a bitter old man," Autumn snapped. "He will never be pleased with us, you know that first hand! How often did he degrade you for not being number one last year?"  
  
"Well, if Granger--," Draco started.  
  
"Do not lay the blame for Father's ways at Hermione's feet!" Autumn said. "Because it could be anyone. And even if you were number one, Father would merely demand that you do much better, and when you couldn't, he'd degrade you for that."  
  
"Why are you trying to convince me to be friends with her?" Draco demanded.  
  
"Because you don't have any friends," Autumn said.  
  
"I have friends!" Draco said.  
  
"Crabbe and Goyle aren't friends," Autumn said. "They are acquaintennces whose own fathers are our father's minions. And that Pansy Parkinson is nothing but a pug-faced stuck up girl who is only interested in you because you're a Malfoy and all the Slytherins respect you."  
  
Draco stared at his sister in astonishment. "I--," he started.  
  
"Just think about it," Autumn said.  
  
"All right," Draco said, albeit reluctantly.  
  
Autumn reached up and hugged him. "I just know that you have a good heart," she said. "I don't want to see you end up like Father."  
  
Draco kissed her forehead affectionately. "Believe me, sissy," he said. "I don't want to be him either."  
  
~~  
  
Draco leaned back against the tree, staring out over the lake. The squid in the lake waved at him merrily then plunged beneath the surface. Draco chuckled a bit. Leaning his head back, he mulled over in his mind everything his sister had said to him. A sudden sharp pain in his leg made him cry out and look up. "Granger! What in the hell are you kicking me for?!" he demanded as he rose, rubbing at his now sore leg. "To think I actually considered apologizing to you for how rude I was to you!"  
  
Hermione looked at the boy in front of her, her eyes swimming with tears. "Oh shut up!" she said.  
  
Draco looked at her stunned. "Wait a minute, you kick me, and YOU get mad?" he demanded. "That is rich!" Hermione lowered her head and put her hands over her face, starting to cry. Draco frowned. He stepped towards her a bit. "Granger, I--." When he got close enough, Hermione flung her arms around him, crying into his shoulder.  
  
Draco stood there, his arms to his sides. His eyes were wide and confused. He honestly did not know what to do. He wanted to push her away. She was a muggle-born, and she was touching him. It wasn't something he wanted. Was it? He suddenly felt her head shift and her tiny nose rubbed against his shoulder as she sniffled. It reminded him of all the times he had comforted his sister after she had an encounter with their father. He wrapped his arms around her, gently rubbing her back. "Shh," he whispered into her bushy hair. He moved them to the tree and they slowly sat down. Draco kept his arm firmly around Hermione's petite shoulders.  
  
Hermione curled her knees up a bit, leaning against the Slytherin boy, not completely believing that he was allowing her to lean against him. To cry on his shoulder. As her sobs lessened, she leaned back a bit.  
  
Draco looked at her. "What happened?" he asked. There was no sarcasm or note of a sneer in his voice. Hermione could even catch the slight scratch every once and awhile. His voice was starting to change. The one thing that was in his voice, and that truly surprised her, was sincerity.  
  
Hermione wiped at the tears on her cheeks. "I--," she started. "Ron and I, we got into a fight."  
  
"What could he have done to make you cry this much?" Draco asked. "You two are such good friends."  
  
Hermione shrugged. "It was stupid," she said. "It always is. But he called me a--, well, he called me what you called me."  
  
Draco cringed. Between his sister's words echoing in his head, and the hurt he could finally hear in Hermione's voice, he felt like the ass he was turning out to be. "Sorry," he mumbled.  
  
Hermione looked at him, surprised. She caught her lower lip between her buck teeth. "You're apologizing?" she asked.  
  
Draco nodded then sighed. "I've been cruel to you," he said. "I'm becoming something I abhor, but it took my sister to show me just how much."  
  
"What are you saying?" Hermione asked.  
  
"It's more like I'm asking," Draco said. "Would you be willing to give me a chance to get to know you? And you me?"  
  
"Really?" Hermione asked.  
  
Draco nodded. "Really," he said.  
  
"How? I mean," Hermione looked down then up. "You're Slytherin, I'm Gryffindor. Inter-relations between houses, especially ours, well, it's just not seen. I don't think anyone would allow us."  
  
"We don't have to tell anyone," Draco said. "Honestly, do you think Ron and Harry would let you anywhere near me if we told them?"  
  
Hermione smiled a bit. "Good point," she said. "So how are we going to do this?"  
  
"We could meet some place, get to know each other," Draco suggested. "I just don't know where."  
  
Hermione straightened a bit. "I do," she said. "Meet me in the east hall after dinner tonight, all right?"  
  
Draco nodded. "All right," he said.  
  
Hermione stood, watching him stand beside her. "Um, thanks for letting me cry on your shoulder," she said almost timidly.  
  
Draco gave her a half grin. It was very similar to the sneer he usually bestowed on her, but it lacked the harshness. It lacked the sneer quality. "No problem," he said. "See you after dinner."  
  
~~  
  
Draco searched for Hermione after dinner. He had managed to avoid her, afraid of what he might say so that no one grew suspicious and scaring her away. Before he had the chance to apologize ahead of time. He saw her leaning against a wall, worrying at the pad of her thumb. "You look nervous," he said as he walked up.  
  
Hermione blushed a bit. "I was worried that this somehow might have been a trap," she said.  
  
"I can understand," Draco said. "So where are we meeting?"  
  
Hermione muttered some sort of password and the wall seemed to disappear. The pair stepped through, walking to the back of the narrow hall into a fully furnished room that looked very similar to one of the common rooms. A sofa was in front of the fire, and there was a nearby window. Some tables were scattered about, and there were a couple of large plush chairs. "How did you find this place?" Draco asked, looking around.  
  
"Accidentally," Hermione said. "After another argument with Ron and Harry. Before we became friends."  
  
"Does anyone else know about it?" Draco asked walking around the sofa.  
  
"Dumbledore and McGonagall only," Hermione said. "They gave me permission to come here when I needed to and showed me a spell so that only those I want to see this room can."  
  
Draco smiled. "I could see it," he said.  
  
Hermione nodded sitting down on the sofa. "I figured if we were going to be friends, and this is where we would meet, you would need to be able to find it. To everyone else it looks like a brick wall."  
  
"Do you mind if I tell Snape?" Draco asked.  
  
"Um," Hermione stumbled a bit on her words.  
  
"It's only in case he needs to find me in case something is wrong with my sister," Draco said.  
  
Hermione nodded. "You really love her don't you?" she asked.  
  
"She's my everything," Draco said sitting down. "Autumn is the only one I could ever truly call my friend and that I love her."  
  
"But you have Crabbe and Goyle," Hermione pointed out. "For friends that is."  
  
Draco sighed running a hand through his slicked back locks. "Much to my dismay, as my sister pointed out, they aren't friends. Merely acquaintances that feel they need to be around me because of who my father is," he said.  
  
Hermione nodded then looked at him. "Can I ask you something?" she asked. Draco nodded. Hermione gathered her knees to her chest, tucking her arms under her legs. "Why do you act the way you do? I mean, you are so nice, yet you don't act that way to a lot of people. Anyone basically."  
  
Draco shrugged a bit. "I don't know honestly," he asked. "Autumn asked me the same thing. Can I ask you something?" Hermione nodded. "Why do you always feel the need to answer things? Or raise your hand?"  
  
Hermione shrugged. "I just do," she said. "I don't understand why. I just do."  
  
Draco nodded. "Um, Hermione, I want to apologize ahead of time for anything I might say that hurts you," he said.  
  
Hermione nodded. "Me too," she said softly. "I guess we do have to be rude to each other in front of others."  
  
"I'll try not to be too bad," Draco said softly.  
  
Hermione looked at him. "This is going to take some getting used to, isn't it?" she asked.  
  
Draco nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Yeah it is."  
  
Hermione nodded, staring into the fire that was burning. "It'll be worth it though," she said, glancing over at him.  
  
Draco smiled at her a bit. "Yeah," he said. "Yeah it will." Hermione smiled. 


	2. Chapter 2- Second Year- Part 2

"Potter and Weasley," Malfoy said as he saw the Gryffindor trio in the hallway. It had been almost a week since Hermione and Draco had begun their secret friendship. Since then he had attempted to not say too much to Hermione in fear of screwing up their budding relationship.  
  
"What do you want Malfoy?" Harry grumbled as he looked over to the boy. His sister wasn't with him, which both disappointed Harry and left him with a feeling of slight ease. He wouldn't make a fool of himself in front of her.  
  
"Just wanted to tell you that my sister is off limits, Potter," Draco stated.  
  
"What?" Harry said with a frown.  
  
"My sister," Draco said. "I've seen how you were looking at her. She's off limits."  
  
"Why?" Harry said in a challenging tone.  
  
"What, isn't Harry good enough?" Ron piped up.  
  
Draco glanced at Hermione. She knew what his sister meant to him after their long talks this past week. He looked away before he revealed too much of their friendship to Harry and Ron. "In most cases I would say Potter isn't good enough for anything," Draco said. "But in this case, no one is good enough for my sister." He turned on his heel and walked away from them.  
  
"What a snob," Ron mumbled.  
  
"It isn't snobbery Ron," Hermione mumbled to him. She looked him square in the eye. "You feel the same way about your little sister." She shifted her bag and turned to head for class. Ron looked thoughtful a moment and followed her. Harry stood where he was, watching where Draco had been standing. Kill, time to kill… Harry frowned and looked around. He was hearing that voice again. A shiver ran up his spine and he hurried after Ron and Hermione.  
  
~~  
  
"Oliver, a moment please."  
  
Oliver Wood looked up and stopped packing his books. "Professor McGonagall?"  
  
"Please Oliver, come here."  
  
Oliver frowned as he walked to her desk, trying to figure out what he'd done. He looked over as Madame Hooch walked in and was really confused. "Professors?"  
  
"Oliver we need to speak about your schoolwork."  
  
"My… my school work professor?"  
  
"Yes. You've always been a good student in the past Oliver, but recently your grades have not been up to par."  
  
"I'm trying Professor. This new schedule is just…"  
  
"We feel, Oliver, that Quidditch may be interfering." Professor McGonagall spoke, looking at Madame Hooch.  
  
"It is not. I'm fine."  
  
"Madame Hooch and I have agreed that you may continue to play Quidditch Oliver, however, if your grades do not improve by Christmas, we will have to pull you off of the Quidditch team for the year."  
  
"B… but… but I'm the Captain."  
  
"And as such, should set an example for the others. You have until Christmas Oliver." Madame Hooch said.  
  
Oliver nodded and quietly walked out of the classroom. What was he going to do? This year was so much more difficult with his new subjects. He jerked forward as two strong hands hit his shoulders, "Fred, George."  
  
"So what did McGonagall want?" Fred asked.  
  
"I have to improve my grades, or I get taken off the Quidditch team."  
  
"No way! You're the Captain!" George said.  
  
"Exactly," Oliver did his best Madame Hooch imitation, "And as such, should set an example for the rest of the team."  
  
"Great." Fred looked, exasperated.  
  
"What are you going to do?" George asked as he took a seat at a table in the common room.  
  
Oliver looked, "I don't rightly know. Maybe get a tutor."  
  
"You could ask Hermione." Fred offered, sitting down next to his twin.  
  
"She's not in our year. I need someone in our class. Someone with similar classes as mine, but as smart as Hermione."  
  
George looked at Fred and they both looked at Oliver. "What about Maria?"  
  
"Maria?"  
  
"You know Oliver, Maria, our cousin."  
  
"Do you think she'd help me? I mean, she's not exactly as friendly as Hermione."  
  
"Well, she's your only chance." Fred said.  
  
"Yeah Oliver, we can't lose you from the team over something like grades." George added.  
  
"Alright." Oliver said with a determined voice, "I'll ask her tonight."  
  
~~  
  
Oliver sighed as he headed back to the common room after practice. It was Halloween and the Halloween feast would be starting soon. He walked in and looked around and stopped seeing Maria Weasley sitting in one of the bay windows, reading. "Hi Maria."  
  
Maria looked up and nearly dropped her book, "Oliver?"  
  
Oliver walked over and grinned, "Umm… so… well, I was wondering if I could… well, um ask you something?"  
  
Maria watched and looked around to see who else was in on the joke this time. She didn't see anyone, but she was still cautious as she looked at him, "Okay."  
  
"Would you tutor me?" Oliver said quickly.  
  
Maria stared at him in disbelief, "Oliver Wood is asking me for help?"  
  
Oliver looked down at his hands, "Yeah."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"If I don't improve my grades by Christmas, I'll be taken off the Quidditch team."  
  
Maria studied him. She felt bad for Oliver. She knew that Quidditch was his one true love. "Alright. I'll help you."  
  
Oliver grinned, "Really!"  
  
"Under certain conditions." Maria watched.  
  
"Conditions?'  
  
Maria nodded, "We'll meet in the library, every night between Quidditch practice and dinner. Sundays will be your only day off."  
  
Oliver sighed, "Okay, deal."  
  
Maria nodded, "Then I'll see you at the feast."  
  
Oliver nodded, watching as she left the common room.  
  
~~  
  
"It's going to kill someone!" Harry shouted as he, Ron and Hermione headed back to the Great Hall after the Deathday Party. Harry ignored Ron and Hermione as he ran up the steps three at a time, trying to listen for the voice over his own pounding footsteps.  
  
"Harry what was that all about?" Ron said out of breath as he and Hermione finally caught up to him. Hermione gasped beside him.  
  
"Look," she said, fear evident in her voice as she pointed to the wall. Harry and Ron turned, staring. Foot-high words stood shimmering in the light on the wall.  
  
THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.  
  
"What's that thing hanging beneath?" Ron asked. As they edged nearer, Harry slipped. There was water all over the floor. They inched towards the message and gasped. It was Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat.  
  
Oliver walked back, following Fred, George and some of the other Quidditch team members. They all stopped as they ran into a crowd. "Wonder what's going on." Oliver said as he tried to stand on his tiptoes to peer over the other heads.  
  
George looked, "There's something written on the wall."  
  
Fred nodded, "And it looks like Mrs. Norris might be… dead."  
  
That was when they heard Draco Malfoy's voice, "Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next mudbloods."  
  
Oliver looked around as most in the crowd gasped. He caught sight of Maria as her face paled. He watched her as she pushed her way out of the crowd crying and ran straight for the common room. "What's wrong with Maria?"  
  
Percy heard his cousin's name mentioned and looked over his shoulder to see her rounding the corner. "I'll go talk to her."  
  
Fred and George watched, sighing. Oliver looked, "Wonder what's got her so upset, I mean, it was just Filch's cat."  
  
"She's not a pureblood Oliver." George said as if it were something Oliver should have known.  
  
"Our Uncle married a muggle." Fred added.  
  
Oliver frowned. It had never before occurred to him that she wasn't pureblood, but rather a halfblood. Then again Oliver thought, it hadn't ever occurred to him to care before now. He drew in a deep breath trying to still his pounding heart, wondering what exactly had changed.  
  
"What's going on here?" Argus Filch asked, apparently summoned by Draco's shout and the crowd. He fell back clutching his face in horror. "My cat!" he shrieked. His eyes fell on Harry and they narrowed. "YOU! You've murdered my cat! I'll kill you!"  
  
"Argus!" Dumbledore said as he arrived. Dumbledore swept past Harry, Hermione and Ron to detach Mrs. Norris. "Come with me Argus, you too Mister Potter, Mister Weasley and Miss Granger."  
  
Lockhart stepped forward. "My office is nearest, Headmaster," he said eagerly.  
  
"Very well," Dumbledore said. "Take the children there. Argus come with me please."  
  
"But he--," Filch started, pointing at Harry.  
  
"Now Argus," Dumbledore said. Filch cast a hostile glance at Harry and followed the older man.  
  
"In my office please," Lockhart said, ushering Hermione, Ron and Harry into his office. "You too Mister Malfoy, since you deemed it necessary to comment."  
  
"Should've just kept your mouth shut," Ron mumbled.  
  
"Shut up, Weasley," Draco spat.  
  
"Make me, you prat," Ron said hotly.  
  
"Oh children," Lockhart admonished.  
  
"Knock it off, Draco," Autumn growled at her brother. Draco glanced, forgetting she had been with him. He started to look away, his gaze catching Hermione's. She looked… devastated. He could see the tears starting to form before she ducked her head. He remembered his words when he saw the message. He could have kicked himself.  
  
"Professor, may we go?" Hermione asked. Her voice quavered a bit, but Lockhart thought from fear.  
  
"Now Miss Granger," Lockhart said. "You have nothing to fear."  
  
"Of course she does," Goyle piped up. "She's a mudblood." Autumn stiffened.  
  
Draco looked at Goyle dangerously, his voice hard as he spoke. "We aren't muggle-born, Professor, may we go?"  
  
"Professor, why are you keeping these students?" McGonagall asked as she walked in.  
  
"I wanted to speak with Harry," Lockhart said.  
  
"Speak with him tomorrow. All students should at least be in their common rooms right now," McGonagall replied.  
  
"Very well," Lockhart sighed. The Slytherin students walked towards the door to leave. Before she left, Autumn reached out and squeezed Hermione's hand gently. It was a move not lost on Draco, and he was jealous that she could openly show her friendship with Hermione and he couldn't. He pushed it aside knowing the arrangement they had made was for the best. He would talk to Hermione in their room the next time they were there.  
  
"Are you all right, Miss Granger?" McGonagall asked worriedly.  
  
"It's nothing, Professor," Hermione said quickly. She and the two boys hurried out of Lockhart's office. McGonagall watched worriedly.  
  
~~  
  
Dumbledore glanced up as McGonagall walked into his office. "Professor," he said with a bit of a smile.  
  
"How is Argus?" McGonagall asked formerly.  
  
"He is convinced that Harry had something to do with Mrs. Norris's petrification," Dumbledore said. "But Poppy is already talking with Severus and Sinistra about creating a mandrake potion."  
  
"Albus, we must talk," McGonagall finally said as she sat down.  
  
With a wave of his wand, Dumbledore conjured a silencing charm around his office. "My love, what has you so troubled?" he asked walking around his desk to sit beside her. He gently took McGonagall's hand.  
  
"I'm worried about Hermione," McGonagall said. "The message on that wall…"  
  
"Minerva, you know it was best that we had Hermione and Terence put up for adoption after Voldemort killed our Maragret," Dumbledore said. "It was for their protection."  
  
"What good is the protection to our granddaughter if she is believed to be a muggle-born?" McGonagall asked, standing. "At least our grandson was adopted by a pureblood wizarding family."  
  
"Terence is as much at risk as his sister," Dumbledore said. "The Higgs were never supporters of Voldemort. Therefore that family is at risk as well."  
  
"What do we do Albus?" McGonagall asked fretfully. "Our baby died protecting her babies…"  
  
Dumbledore stood and gathered McGonagall into his arms. He could feel her trembling against him. "We will do our best to protect our grandchildren without disrupting their lives," he murmured gently in her ear.  
  
"She looks so much like our Margaret did at her age," McGonagall mumbled.  
  
"Who was as beautiful as you," Dumbledore said, pushing her back to gaze at her.  
  
McGonagall smiled and reached up to cup his cheek. "Thank you, my love," she said softly. "I must return to Gryffindor tower."  
  
Dumbledore kissed her forehead gently. "Sleep well, my love," he said. "Try not to worry about our grandchildren. We shall keep them safe." McGonagall nodded. She reached and opened the door, releasing the silencing charm. She glanced briefly at Dumbledore, then left.  
  
~~  
  
"Sit there," Filch growled the next afternoon as he walked in with Fred and George. Sitting already in front of Filch's desk were the two new Gryffindor students. Identical twin girls with blonde hair and mischievous grins. "You two again," Filch growled. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Professor Flitwick sent us down here for our detention," one of the girls said.  
  
Filch grumbled as he walked out of his office a moment. "I can't believe Dumbledore actually agreed to allow the two of you a second chance after your expulsion from your old school," he said as he left.  
  
"What is his problem?" one of the girls asked.  
  
"Worried about his cat," Fred said. "You two are the transfer students from the American Wizarding school aren't you?"  
  
One of the other girls nodded. "Yes," she said. "I'm Marissa, she's Alissa."  
  
"What were you expelled for?" George asked.  
  
Both girls shrugged lightly, almost non-chalantly. "We blew up the potions lab," they said together.  
  
Fred and George grinned. "Wicked," they replied.  
  
"So why are you two here?" Alissa asked.  
  
"Oh, we put dung bombs in the boys toilets," Fred said.  
  
"Coobies," the girls replied.  
  
"Why are you four still here?" Filch demanded when he came back in. "Get out now!"  
  
"But--," Marissa started.  
  
Fred reached over and grabbed her hand. "It's best to just let it be," he said. The twin boys pulled the girls out of the room. "If he forgets about our detentions it's better. He's so distracted, it's to our benefit."  
  
"Let's head back up to the common room before he conveniently remembers," George pointed out. The four people hurried away from Filch's office and to Gryffindor tower.  
  
~~  
  
"Attention class," Lockhart clapped his hands. "I have an announcement to make."  
  
Ron rolled his eyes. "I wonder what the twit has to say now?" Ron's voice turned into a bad imitation of Lockhart. "I want a poem about me and my prize winning smile."  
  
Morgana Havland, a new student that was a second year Slytherin, rolled her eyes and tapped Ron on the shoulder. "Do you mind? I'm trying to listen to the professor," she said.  
  
Ron looked at her and then gave a look of exasperated annoyance to Harry who just shrugged.  
  
"In my quest to learn more about American wizards, seeing as we have two new students from there," Lockhart continued. "I discovered a new sport. Cheerleading."  
  
Ron looked at Harry. "Cheerleading?"  
  
Lockhart waved his wand and images appeared on the wall. "As you can see both ladies and gentlemen can participate. Professor Dumbledore has given me permission to start a team."  
  
Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil gave excited squeals. Morgana sank into her chair next to them and rolled her eyes. Ron watched Lockhart. "Oh please," he mumbled.  
  
Lockhart heard Ron and pulled out his quill. "Mister Weasley! Our first volunteer!"  
  
Ron looked, his eyes wide. "B-but P-prof…" he stuttered.  
  
"Mister Weasley, it's wonderful to see you so eager to try this new adventure. Five points to Gryffindor," Lockhart said.  
  
Ron groaned and slumped into his seat, his ears turning red. Morgana laughed at Ron and looked. "Good going, loud mouth," she said.  
  
Lockhart saw Morgana lean over and say something. "Miss Havland, would you like to volunteer as well?" he asked.  
  
Morgana stared and shook her head. "Thank you, Professor, but…"  
  
Morgana's but was lost as Lockhart wrote down her name. "No need to thank me. I know how hard it is for new students to volunteer," he said.  
  
Morgana sneered as Ron laughed. Ron looked at Harry. "Does she remind you of someone when she's mad?" he asked.  
  
Harry looked. "Not that I can place," he said.  
  
Lockhart looked around. "Would all other volunteers please come forward before you leave the room? Our first meeting will be tomorrow after the Quidditch team's practice."  
  
Ron grumbled as he packed up his books. Morgana glared at him as she grabbed her books. She purposely rammed him in the shoulder as she hurried down the stairs to get to her next class. "Twit," she murmured as she walked away.  
  
Ron started to go after but Harry stopped him. "What did you do that for?" Ron asked.  
  
Harry looked, "Just leave it go. She's new and she's Slytherin."  
  
"Funny, thought I told you something similar about Malfoy's sister," Ron said. Harry raised his eyebrow as they walked out into the hall and looked for Hermione. Ron turned at the sound of his name.  
  
"Weasley."  
  
Ron groaned as Draco approached with Crabbe beside him. "Marvelous show of school spirit, Weasley."  
  
"Put a sock in it Malfoy," Ron mumbled, his ears turning red.  
  
Hermione walked up, not noticing Draco at first. "Ron Harry, I just…" she started but then stopped when she noticed Draco.  
  
"You were just what, Granger? Did you sign up for the cheerleading squad too?" Draco said mockingly.  
  
Hermione blushed, but narrowed her eyes. "As a matter of fact, Malfoy. I did."  
  
Goyle walked up and joined them, grumbling about something. "Where have you been?" Draco asked.  
  
"Opened my big mouth and Lockhart signed me up, same as he did Weasley," Goyle grumbled. Ron smothered a laugh, as did Harry. Hermione ducked her head down to hide her smile.  
  
Draco rolled his eyes shaking his head. "Let's go," he said. Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other and followed Draco.  
  
Ron looked at Hermione. "Hermione, you didn't. You actually volunteered for that. Why would anyone…" he started.  
  
"You did," Hermione said, whirling on Ron.  
  
"I did not. That idiot Lockhart thought I was volunteering," Ron said. "You probably joined just because of him didn't you?"  
  
Hemrione blushed. "I did not," she said.  
  
Ron turned to Harry. "See? See what someone like that does to them?" he said.  
  
Harry looked. "Come on you two," he said. He noticed Hermione was getting more annoyed with Ron by the minute. "We'll be late for Transfiguration."  
  
Ron grumbled and Hermione talked about the other girls who had signed up as the three of them walked to Transfiguration.  
  
~~  
  
Alissa sat with her twin in one of the large bay windows overlooking the Quidditch field the next afternoon. "Gods, he has no clue what he's doing, does he?" she asked.  
  
"Apparently not," Marissa said, giggling as they watched Lockhart attempting to show the new team how to do a split.  
  
"What are you two up to?" George asked as he walked in, followed by Fred.  
  
Alissa turned and grinned, putting on an innocent expression. "Who? Us?" she asked sweetly.  
  
George looked, stifling the grin that wanted to rise. "Yeah, you two. Come on, share," he said.  
  
Marissa smiled. "We're just watching the new cheerleading team," she said.  
  
"The new what?" the twins said together.  
  
"Lockhart started a cheerleading squad," Alissa said, nodding to the window.  
  
"Actually, it looks like your little brother's down there," Marissa said, looking out over the field.  
  
George and Fred rushed over to the window, looking out. "Blimey," George said.  
  
"It's Ron," Fred finished.  
  
"Here's one for the record books," George said with a shake to his head.  
  
"They're going to make complete idiots out of themselves at the rate Lockhart is going," Marissa said.  
  
Alissa nodded. "They've no idea," she said.  
  
"And you two do?" Fred asked, looking at them.  
  
Marissa and Alissa turned and looked at them. "Yes, we do," they said.  
  
"Prove it," George said.  
  
"How?" Alissa asked.  
  
Fred looked at George then back at the two women. "Join the team."  
  
Alissa looked at her sister. Marissa nodded and the two women got up and went downstairs to sign up. George looked at Fred. "I can't believe they're actually going to do it," he said.  
  
Fred merely watched. "Wow," he said. "They're almost as good as us."  
  
~~  
  
"Ow! Hey watch your foot!" Ron groaned.  
  
Lockhart was trying to get them all to do shoulder sits with each other. He'd paired Ron and Morgana up and Ron swore she was purposely hitting all the wrong places. Hermione and Goyle, who had been paired up as well, weren't faring any better.  
  
Morgana looked at Ron. "Shut up Weasley," she mumbled.  
  
Ron hissed at her. "My name is Ron."  
  
Lockhart smiled. "Everyone, keep working together now," he said.  
  
"Whoa!" Hermione said as Goyle practically vaulted her into the air to his shoulders. She blindly grabbed his head for support.  
  
"Watch it Mudblood!" Goyle growled. He grunted as Hermione's heel connected with his sternum.  
  
"My name is Hermione, you oaf," Hermione said. "And you nearly sent me flying. We're supposed to be working together!"  
  
"Well my name is Greg, and I wasn't expecting you to be so damned light!" Goyle said. "I overestimated you."  
  
"That much was apparent," Hermione said. She stiffened slightly then relaxed when Goyle took a bit more care when he set her down. "Try again?" she asked warily.  
  
Goyle nodded and lifted her up again, gentler this time. "That better?" he asked.  
  
"Yes," Hermione said.  
  
"You steady?" Goyle asked.  
  
"Steady," Hermione returned. Goyle grasped her waist and lifted her down.  
  
"Well done Miss Granger and Mister Goyle!" Lockhart said. "Look here everyone, that was a good show of teamwork. Everybody now!"  
  
Ron looked over at Lockhart, his face a bit flushed. "Shouldn't I work with another Gryffindor, Professor?"  
  
Lockhart smiled. "You and Morgana will be a fine pair, Weasley. Besides, there will be no house teams, merely a school team," he said.  
  
"But professor…" Ron started.  
  
"It will promote unity among students," Lockhart said. He smiled and quietly muttered. "Besides, not enough volunteers for house teams."  
  
Morgana groaned as she got off Ron. "This is ridiculous," she mumbled.  
  
Lockhart smiled. "No defeat students! Keep trying," he said. Hermione and Goyle looked at each other and shrugged. They went back to practicing till they were able to smoothly move in and out of the shoulder sits.  
  
Morgana sighed as she looked around. She started to climb up Ron again, but Ron collapsed. Morgana landed on him. She looked down. "Are you hurt?" she asked.  
  
"Oh not at all, just tickled," Ron said with mild annoyance.  
  
Morgana sighed and got up. "Who's that?" she asked looking at two blondes that were joining them.  
  
Ron looked. "Alissa and Marissa Demopolous. They're in Gryffindor," he said.  
  
"Can't believe they're going to volunteer," Morgana said.  
  
Ron looked at her. "They're from the States," he said. "Maybe they'll actually know something."  
  
"That would be a novel concept," Morgana mumbled. She nodded and was about to try the shoulder sit again when Lockhart clapped his hands. "All right everyone. I think we've accomplished enough for today. We'll meet again tomorrow. Remember your partners! You'll stay partners the rest of the year."  
  
Morgana and Ron groaned audibly together. They looked at each other with disdain.  
  
"Tomorrow, Alissa and Marissa, our transfers from the States, will assist me in teaching you all about cheering," Lockhart said. "See you all tomorrow, and five points to all who come back!"  
  
Ron sighed and turned to go, his body aching. He glanced over and saw Morgana headed towards the Professor's quarters and frowned. "Wonder where she's going?" he mumbled to himself. He shrugged as Hermione joined him, and they walked back towards the castle. 


	3. Chapter 3- Second Year- Part 3

"Miss Granger, a moment please," Professor Lockhart said, walking up to Hermione.  
  
"Yes Professor?" Hermione asked, smoothing her hair back from her face.  
  
"I decided that it is best if we have a practice this afternoon after all," Lockhart said. "To work on the routines for the upcoming game."  
  
"We are going to cheer at the Quidditch match?" Hermione asked, hugging her books closer to her chest.  
  
"That is why we have our team Miss Granger, to support our school sport," Lockhart said.  
  
Hermione flushed slightly with embarrassment. "Of course Professor," she said. "Um, was that all?"  
  
"Yes it was," Lockhart said. "Please be sure to inform your partner of practice. I'm sure Mister Goyle wouldn't want to miss this." Hermione suppressed the snicker that wanted to rise out of her throat. She highly doubted that Goyle would willingly participate. Though why he hadn't just quit after the first practice was beyond her.  
  
"I'll be sure to let him know, Professor," Hermione said. She watched the man walk away then turned around. She sought out Goyle and saw him sitting at the Slytherin table. She sighed and headed over, adjusting the bag on her shoulder.  
  
Draco glanced towards her as she stepped up behind Goyle, tapping his shoulder. "We have practice this afternoon," Hermione said quickly.  
  
Goyle looked over his shoulder then nodded. "All right," he said.  
  
Pansy Parkinson sneered a bit. "Taking orders from a mudblood now, hmm?" she questioned.  
  
Hermione blushed and lowered her head. She turned on her heel. Usually Pansy's remarks didn't bother her, but she was becoming close friends with Draco, but he couldn't defend her, and she was growing to like Goyle as a friend through cheerleading, but he too couldn't say anything. It was some Slytherin code. She was almost sure of that. "Put a sock in it, Parkinson," Autumn said haughtily. She despised Pansy.  
  
"Stuff it, Autumn," Pansy growled.  
  
"That is my sister," Draco growled, his eyes not leaving his plate.  
  
"Well, Gregory?" Pansy said looking at Goyle.  
  
"You know, she might be a Gryffindor, but she's not that bad," Goyle said.  
  
"I don't understand how she can be a cheerleader, what with the cow that she is," Pansy chortled.  
  
"Don't judge her by her robes," Goyle said. "I almost threw her too hard because I did that. She's really very light, and a good cheerleader."  
  
"Is she your girlfriend now?" Pansy poked at him.  
  
"You know--," Autumn started.  
  
Goyle looked Pansy straight in the eye. "You are a bitch," he said. "Hermione maybe someone a lot of us dislike, but until you know her completely, or deal with her, don't judge her." He got up and grabbed his books and looked at Crabbe and Draco. "Meet you both in class," he growled.  
  
Autumn looked almost triumphantly at her. "Oh shut up," Pansy said, glaring at her.  
  
Draco finally turned to her. "Keep your mouth shut," he said. "If you say that to my sister again, I will hex you. Next time Pansy, it might do you well to try and not stick your foot in your mouth as soon as you open it." He stood and gathered his things before heading out of the Great Hall.  
  
~~  
  
Maria worked on her homework for Arithmancy as she waited for Oliver to show up for their first tutoring session. She had books for the subjects that she knew he needed help with. She'd already talked to Professor McGonagall to find out what areas Oliver needed help with most urgently so they could concentrate on those. She figured they could work on less troublesome material later.  
  
Oliver walked in and looked around the library he sighed when he saw Maria surrounded by books. Her dark hair was braided and hung over either shoulder, her wire-rimmed glasses sliding down her nose. He walked over and cleared his throat. "Um, hi Maria."  
  
Maria looked up and pushed her glasses up onto her nose more securely. "Oliver, sit down. I talked to Professor McGonagall so I could see what you needed help with most urgently."  
  
Oliver nodded, sitting across from her and pushing some of the books aside. "Um, so where will we start?"  
  
"I think Arithmancy. I've got our homework just about figured out, so you can work on yours, and I'll answer any questions you have and then look over your answers and help you correct any that are wrong."  
  
Oliver nodded, "Um okay. Then, can I ask some questions about it first."  
  
Maria nodded and got up. She moved to sit next to him. "Makes it easier to see what you're doing or explain something to you."  
  
Oliver swallowed. He didn't know why it made him so nervous for her to sit so close, but he felt his whole body tense. He could smell the light perfume she wore, it reminded him of lilacs and rose. He smiled and watched her.  
  
Maria looked at him, "So, what's your first question Oliver?"  
  
Oliver opened his book, and the two of them settled into their study session, determined to make the most of their two hours.  
  
~~  
  
Maria watched the game, never taking her eyes from the Gryffindor Quidditch hoops. She had never really liked Quidditch; flying wasn't really her strong suit. Still, she'd never missed a Gryffindor match. Not when it meant seeing Oliver Wood fly and do what he did best. She felt her heart flutter as she pictured his grin in her head. She found herself smiling to herself, but quickly removed it before anyone else noticed.  
  
~~  
  
Alissa stretched, as she got ready for their first public appearance at Hogwarts. She smiled as she looked over the squad getting ready to go on the field and cheer. They were a good squad, especially for being new. Those that had stayed had hidden talents that had revealed themselves and even though they were all from different houses, they'd pulled together as a team, putting their differences aside.  
  
She looked at her sister and smiled, "Ready?"  
  
"Definitely. Let's show those boys what we're made of."  
  
Alissa nodded and whistled, gathering the team together. She smiled and watched as they all gathered and she smiled. "Alright everyone, it's our first public appearance. Let's make an impression."  
  
They all ran out onto the field and to the area where Dumbledore had decided they'd be safest. They started to get into position. Alissa watched, as Hermione and Goyle got ready to do a stunt. Morgana and Ron were already in a shoulder sit. She smiled and let her partner lift her into a standing stunt watching everyone.  
  
~~  
  
Draco had noticed the cheerleaders from where he was standing with the rest of the Quidditch team. They had begun doing some of their stunts before the fliers took off. He watched the stunt that Hermione and Goyle did and was utterly shocked. He didn't honestly think that Goyle had been interested in the sport, let alone enough to take care with Hermione. And her skill in itself had astounded him as well. Though he had to admit he didn't understand why the image of Hermione in Goyle's arms was bothering him when Goyle caught her. They were just friends. Right?  
  
~~  
  
The cheering was going well. So far, they'd attracted a few stares and some applause. She smiled and whistled calling out for one of their bigger formations. She watched Hermione and Goyle get into position in the back for the basket toss. She started to give the signal for the start of the cheer when she felt water hit her. She looked up and growled as rain started to pelt down on them. She muttered a curse and whistled and then hollered for them all to take cover.  
  
~~  
  
Autumn watched the game in the Slytherin's tower, her hands knotted in worry. She watched as Harry flew, surrounded by Fred and George. One bludger seemed almost determined to knock Harry off his broom. She held her breath at a near miss to Harry's head. She clutched the rail in front of her watching, her hands tight. How could they let the game go on? She didn't hear the words her brother was yelling at Harry.  
  
~~  
  
"All right there, Scarhead?" Draco yelled , shooting underneath him.  
  
Harry had no time to reply. The Rogue bludger came pelting towards him; he avoided it so narrowly that he felt it ruffle his hair as it went by.  
  
"Close one, Harry!" George said, streaking past him, his club in his hand, ready to knock the Bludger back towards the Slytherins. Harry watched as George hit the Bludger powerfully, sending it towards Adrian Pucey, but it made a sharp turn in midair and shot straight towards Harry. Harry dropped quickly and George hit it towards Draco, but it once again swung around towards him.  
  
Harry suddenly put on a burst of speed and zoomed toward the other end of the pitch. He could hear the Bludger whistling along after him. Fred Weasley was waiting for the Bludger at the other end. Harry ducked as Fred swung at the Bludger with all his might. It was knocked off course for now. "Gotcha!" Fred yelled happily. And too soon. Harry was already zooming past at full speed to avoid the damn thing. It had started to rain harder.  
  
"Someone's tampered with this Bludger," Fred grunted.  
  
"We need a time out," George said, signaling to Oliver.  
  
~~  
  
Ron climbed the steps to Gryffindor with Hermione. He followed her into the stands and sat down by Dean and Seamus. They looked at him, "What happened to cheering?"  
  
"It's raining you prats. Can't do our stunts in the rain, too dangerous."  
  
Seamus looked at Dean and shrugged, "Oh."  
  
Ron looked, "What's going on? Can't see the game as well from the ground."  
  
"Not much. Slytherin's in the lead. Harry really needs to get the snitch, but there's a bludger that keeps going for him." Dean told Ron.  
  
Hermione watched, "Look, they've called a time out."  
  
~~  
  
"What's going on?" Oliver asked as the Gryffindor team huddled together. We're being flattened. Fred, George, where were you when that Bludger stopped Angelina scoring?"  
  
"We were twenty feet above her, stopping the other damned Bludger from killing Harry," George said angrily. "Someone's fixed it. It won't leave Harry alone."  
  
"But they've been locked on Madam Hooch's office since our last practice," Wood said.  
  
Madam Hooch was walking toward them at that moment. "Listen," Harry said. "I can't get the snitch with you two flying around me. Just let it be and let me deal with it."  
  
"Don't be thick," Fred said. "That this is out to take your head off."  
  
"Oliver this is insane," Alicia Spinnet said. "You can't let Harry-- ."  
  
"If we stop now, we have to forgeit the game!" Harry said. "And we're not losing to Slytherin because of a crazy Bludger. Especially not when that daft and inept Malfoy is their Seeker!"  
  
"This is all your fault!" George said to Oliver angrily. "Get the snitch or die trying? What kind of advice is that to give him?"  
  
"Ready to resume play?" Madam Hooch asked, joining them.  
  
"All right," Oliver said, noticing Harry's determined look. "Fred, George, you heard Harry—leave him alone and let him deal with the Bludger on his own." The team rose into the air again and resumed the game.  
  
~~  
  
Autumn watched the snitch as it suddenly appeared by Draco's head. She wanted to call out to her brother, but in this weather, and with the screams around them he'd have never have heard her. She gave a sharp cry as the bludger that had been chasing Harry finally caught him, hitting him in the arm and nearly knocking him off the broom. She leaned forward.  
  
Morgana caught Autumn's cloak, and held her to the platform securely. She watched the game and looked as Harry suddenly headed straight for Malfoy's head. She wondered what Malfoy had said to provoke him until; Harry reached his hand out to close around something. The snitch, she thought, he's got the snitch.  
  
Autumn screamed as Harry headed straight for the ground and then crashed, rolling off the broom.  
  
~~  
  
Hermione and Ron were both on their feet as Harry fell. They glanced at each other than ran for the stairs and down them to head out onto the field. They saw Professor Lockhart kneeling beside Harry and all of a sudden, his arm was flopping around aimlessly at his side. Hermione frowned. The two of them walked over to Harry and helped him up. They noticed the horrified expression on his face as he looked down at his arm. They led him to the hospital wing to get it mended.  
  
~~  
  
Fred and George walked into the common room, ready for the party. They felt much better after a hot shower. They grinned as they saw the girls, sitting in a corner window, talking about something. "So girls, what happened to your cheering?"  
  
Alissa looked up at him, "It was raining. We had to stop."  
  
"We still played in the rain." George looked at her.  
  
Marissa rolled her eyes, "Can't do stunts in the rain, too slippery, too much risk of danger."  
  
"Brooms get slippery in the rain too."  
  
Alissa looked, "Rules are rules. If conditions are dangerous, we don't cheer."  
  
George looked, but didn't say anything as Fred nudged him in the ribs. "You want to come down to the kitchens with us. Sneak some food for the party?"  
  
Alissa looked at Marissa, "Alright."  
  
~~  
  
Maria had returned back to the common room before everyone else. She was happy they'd won, but she had a lot of work to finish up. Helping Oliver, took an hour from her study time and she need to grab all the extra time she could. She didn't mind though, not when it meant spending an hour with him. She'd had a crush on him since they'd started at Hogwarts. She could still remember the first time she'd run into him. It had been on the Hogwarts train. She had just gotten on the train and was trying to find an empty compartment when he'd come out of a side door and run right into her. She remembered how he had picked up her bag that she'd dropped and handed it to him, giving her that smile he was famous for. She'd felt her cheeks color red as she stammered a quiet thank you. He'd just said your welcome and moved on with his new friends. Ever since then she'd not been able to stop the fluttering of her heart whenever he was near.  
  
Oliver went up to the common room to change before the celebration. They'd won, and Fred and George had gone to commandeer some food for the celebration. No one knew how they did it, but they were good at it. He walked in and stopped, seeing Maria in the corner of the room sitting in a bay room studying. He walked over, "Did you even go to the game?"  
  
Maria looked up at him, "Of course I did. I've never missed a Gryffindor game."  
  
"Why are you studying then?"  
  
Maria looked, "Because I have work to do Oliver."  
  
"Its Saturday Maria. You can take one day off."  
  
"You don't understand. Have fun tonight. You all deserve it. It was a good game." Maria stood up and moved to go upstairs.  
  
Oliver caught her arm. "Stay. This one time Maria and have fun. Let down your hair a little."  
  
Maria looked at him. Oliver Wood was asking her to stay at a party. No one had ever asked her to stay before. She didn't know what to do.  
  
Oliver watched her and smiled, "Come on. It'll be fun. You'll see. You've got all day tomorrow to study. I'll even work with you for an hour."  
  
Maria looked and nodded then looked up at him, "Okay. I'll stay."  
  
Oliver grinned, "Cool. I need to go change. It probably won't start for another 20 minutes or so, so you can still study some if you want."  
  
Maria nodded, "Kay." She watched as Oliver winked and then headed for his room. Her heart pounding and her arm tingling in the spot where he'd held her.  
  
  
  
~~  
  
Autumn looked around the hospital wing and moved quietly towards Harry's bed. "Harry?"  
  
Harry groaned as he heard a voice nearby. At first he thought it might be Dobby coming back to pester him to leave again. Still the voice was softer than Dobby's sharp pitch. He slowly opened his eyes, almost hesitantly. He looked, "What are you doing here?"  
  
Autumn blushed, "I wanted to see if you were okay. That was quite a game."  
  
Harry looked, "I'd be better if Lockhart hadn't interfered."  
  
Autumn giggled a little, "I think Dumbledore was ready to have his head for that one, Madame Pomfrey too. Does it hurt?"  
  
Harry looked, "Yeah, not real bad though."  
  
Autumn smiled, "Well I just wanted to say good job. See you tomorrow then." Autumn turned around to leave.  
  
"Autumn." Harry stopped her.  
  
Autumn turned around.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Why what Harry?"  
  
"Why the concern? I beat your brother."  
  
"You humiliated my brother."  
  
"Well okay, that too. So why are you so nice to me?"  
  
"I don't have a reason to be mean to you. You're just a person Harry. You've never been mean to me and I'm your enemy's sister."  
  
Harry looked and then watched her. "Well, um.."  
  
"Good night Harry."  
  
"Yeah. Good night." Harry watched Autumn turn and leave. He couldn't believe how confused she made him feel sometimes. He knew she was technically the enemy, but he couldn't help but like her. 


	4. Chapter 4- Second Year- Part 4

Fred followed George into the common room, laughing about a prank they were both planning. He stopped short and elbowed George in the side, pointing towards a window seat. George hushed as they noticed Maria sitting in the window seat and looking out the window rather than at her book sitting in her lap.  
  
"Should we?" Fred whispered.  
  
George nodded. Ever since the attacks had started they'd been concerned about their cousin. While they may tease her, she was still family.  
  
Maria watched the rain as it hit the window, trying to sort out all of her thoughts. The attacks occurring on muggle born students were frightening her. She was at risk since her mother was a muggle. Still, more than that, Oliver Wood was bothering her even more.  
  
"Hey Maria."  
  
Maria snapped out of her daze, "Hi Fred, George."  
  
"You okay?" George asked.  
  
"Yeah, just thinking."  
  
"What about?" Fred said as he eased up onto the window seat next to her.  
  
"Lots of stuff."  
  
"You aren't worried about the attacks are you?"  
  
"A little."  
  
George pulled himself up to sit on her other side. "Well, you know Fred and I will walk with you anywhere if you ever need the company."  
  
Maria smiled at them both. She knew they were both troublemakers, but they really did have big hearts. "Thanks."  
  
Fred eased an arm around her shoulder, "We Weasley's have to stick together." He leaned forward and grinned at his brother.  
  
"This Lockhart book looks well read."  
  
"He's interesting. I like his writing. Have you all read any of his books?"  
  
"Heck no, he's a twit."  
  
"He is not."  
  
Fred raised a brow; "You don't have a crush on him like half of the other girls in this school."  
  
"Who, Lockhart? No… not really."  
  
George smirked, "Speaking of crushes, how are things going with Oliver?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Maria looked at them both.  
  
"Well you have been spending a lot of time with him lately."  
  
Maria rolled her eyes, "I'm tutoring him."  
  
Fred looked at George and they both looked at Maria doubtfully, "Uh huh."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh Come on Maria, we know you've had a crush on him since our first year at Hogwarts."  
  
"Have not." Maria leaned back crossing her arms over her chest. She could feel heat rising into her cheeks as they started to turn pink.  
  
George chuckled, "Come on, you can tell us. Its obvious any way."  
  
"What's obvious?"  
  
"Take Quidditch for example."  
  
Maria looked at Fred, "Quidditch?"  
  
"Yeah," George answered, knowing where his twin was headed. "You hated Quidditch when you first came here."  
  
"I did not."  
  
"You never went to any games our first year, and you always told us how stupid it was."  
  
"I go to all the games now." Maria watched them.  
  
"But you didn't go our first year, when Oliver wasn't on the team."  
  
"I… I was too busy."  
  
George looked at Fred and nodded. "What position does Oliver play?"  
  
"He's the keeper," Maria responded quickly. She was a tad proud of herself, seeing as she really didn't know that much about Quidditch, and the twins were right about why she went to the games.  
  
"Very good." Fred grinned, "Now, what positions do George and I play?"  
  
Maria frowned, "Umm… you… you're… you hit those things… those… balls…"  
  
"See?" The twins said at the same time.  
  
"Just admit it Maria."  
  
"I… have to go." Maria got up and turned to look back at them.  
  
"Alright, be that way. Remember, if you need company to go anywhere, just find one or the both of us."  
  
Maria smiled and nodded, "Thanks."  
  
The twins winked as she turned away.  
  
Maria walked up to her room to get her books for her tutoring session with Oliver. So what if she liked him, it wasn't like she even stood a chance. She was plain and she wasn't popular. She shrugged closing her eyes before turning away and forcing herself to forget about him.  
  
~~  
  
Marissa was curled up in a chair when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to look but didn't find anything. She squealed when she turned and found a chocolate frog on her. "Fred!" she said glaring at him.  
  
Fred grinned at her. "Gotcha," he said.  
  
"Do not try and start a prank war with my sister and I," Marissa warned. "We will beat you into the ground."  
  
"Oh really?" Fred asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"What kind of trouble are you getting us into now, Fred?" George asked walking over with snacks overflowing in his arms.  
  
"He's attempting to start a prank war against Alissa and I," Marissa said.  
  
"That sounds interesting," George said setting his food down.  
  
"But not a smart move," Alissa said joining her sister.  
  
"Wanna bet on that?" George said.  
  
"What are you betting on now, George?" Percy asked as he walked over.  
  
George rolled his eyes. "We aren't betting on anything Percy," he said.  
  
"You better not be, or I'll owl mum so fast. And she'll definitely put a stop to it," Percy said, turning on his heel to walk away.  
  
"I wish he'd lighten up," Fred said with a groan.  
  
"You know what I heard?" Marissa said.  
  
"What?" George asked.  
  
"I heard that Slytherin girl, Andromeda, that's a year behind Percy has a crush on him," Marissa said.  
  
"You mean the one with the tongue stud and nose ring?" Alissa asked.  
  
Marissa nodded. "She's actually really nice," she said. "Ran into her once in the girl's bathroom and she is so un-Slytherin like it's weird. Though you'd never know it by looking at her, but she's really very shy."  
  
"I have an idea," George said with a grin. "Let's work at setting her and Percy up."  
  
"Are you serious?" Fred asked watching him. "Percy'd have our head." A grin slowly spread across his face. "I love the idea!"  
  
Marissa raised her eyebrow. "You two are gluttons for punishment aren't you?" she asked.  
  
"Well aren't we?" Alissa said glancing at her sister. Marissa grinned, and the four put their heads together to start conspiring.  
  
Maria sat quietly in her corner window seat, sipping her butter beer. She watched her fellow Gryffindors. She watched Oliver who had a huge grin on his face. His slim form was dressed in a grey turtleneck and black jeans. She sighed as he joked around with Angelina, his laugh resounding to her ears. She looked at her watch and yawned. She sighed and decided to go to bed. She looked up as a shadow stood before her.  
  
"You came."  
  
Maria looked up, her heart thudding against her chest, "You asked me to. Besides, it's too loud to sleep."  
  
Oliver sat down next to her, "I'm glad you came."  
  
Maria blushed, "Well we did win, it's nice to celebrate."  
  
"Yeah, and your cousins are really good at getting the party going."  
  
"They have their ways."  
  
Oliver grinned, "Want to dance?"  
  
"I…" Maria looked down at her hands, "I'm… not really good at dancing."  
  
Oliver looked at his hands and then back at her, "Right, well, um… you are having fun though?"  
  
Maria looked at him and nodded, "Yeah, I am."  
  
Oliver smiled and looked like he wanted to say something else, but his head turned when he heard his name. Angelina waved him over. He looked back at Maria, "Well, I'll… um… talk to you later."  
  
Maria nodded, "Later." Watching Oliver head back over to Angelina's side.  
  
  
  
~~  
  
Autumn snuck quietly back into the common room. She looked around moving towards the stairs leading to her room, but stopped when a movement caught her eye. She looked into the darkened corner and slowly approached. "Draco?"  
  
Draco didn't look up, "Go to bed Autumn."  
  
"Are you okay?" Autumn sat next to her brother.  
  
"No." Draco looked at her, "He made me look like a fool."  
  
"You didn't look like a fool Draco."  
  
"It was right next to my head and I didn't see it Autumn. I'm supposed to be the seeker."  
  
Autumn eased an arm around him, "It'll be okay Draco."  
  
"If it weren't for father, I wouldn't be on the team and I wouldn't be the seeker."  
  
"Draco you're an excellent flyer."  
  
"But I'm not a seeker Autumn."  
  
"It's your first season and it was your first game. You'll improve."  
  
Draco sighed hugging her tightly. "Where have you been?"  
  
"Just walking."  
  
Draco watched her in the moonlight, "It's late. You should go to bed."  
  
Autumn smiled and kissed her brother's cheek, "Will you be okay?"  
  
Draco nodded, "Yeah, I just need some more time to think."  
  
Autumn nodded getting up. "Love you Draco."  
  
"Love you too. Good night sis."  
  
Autumn smiled moving up the stairs. As she did, she heard the secret entrance to the common room open and close again. She turned and looked to see that Draco was gone. Autumn paused then headed to her room wondering about her big brother.  
  
~~  
  
"Mister Malfoy, where are you headed at this late hour?" Professor Snape asked.  
  
Draco turned around, glancing at him. "The room I told you about," he said.  
  
Snape nodded. "Where you meet Miss Granger?" he asked.  
  
"You disapprove," Draco said a bit glumly.  
  
"On the contrary," Snape said. "I wish I'd taken the chance with someone from my school days that you have taken. But I allowed the house rivalries to make my decision."  
  
"What was she like?" Draco asked.  
  
"Very much like Miss Granger," Snape said. "One of the cleverest witches in school. She and I were the top students in Potions, much like you and Hermione are."  
  
"You never tried being friends?" Draco asked.  
  
"We tried, but between house rivalries, and the extreme dislike her brother and I had to each other, it never came to be," Snape said. "My advice to you is never let her go. Do not let Hermione slip through your fingers."  
  
Draco raised an eyebrow. "Professor, we're just friends, tentative ones at that," he said.  
  
Snape watched him. "It doesn't matter," he said. "Any relationships you have with a young woman such as Miss Granger are a very precious gift. Be it romantic or friendship."  
  
"You sound like you miss your friend," Draco said.  
  
"I miss Jennifer very much," Snape said. "If I could have a second chance to make things right with her, I would."  
  
Draco nodded. "Thank you, Professor," he said.  
  
"You're welcome, Mister Malfoy," Snape said. He watched Draco walk in the direction of the room that he shared with Hermione. His thoughts began to wander to Jennifer. If it hadn't been for the rivalry he had with James, Sirius and Remus, he probably would be married to her. He had been in love with her forever.  
  
Sighing, Snape turned, shaking his head. 'Who are you kidding? Jennifer was way out of your league, just as Margaret and Lily were out of Lucius's,'he thought to himself. He headed to his rooms, his mind still on the raven-haired beauty that had plagued his dreams since she had started at Hogwart's in his second year.  
  
~~  
  
Hermione looked up as Draco walked into the room they shared so to speak. She tilted her head watching him. She couldn't help but wonder if he was behind these attacks. If this friendship was nothing more than a trick to have her attacked by whatever was causing the terror to grip the school.  
  
"You okay?" Draco asked as he walked over and sat in the opposite corner from her.  
  
Hermione nodded, leaning her chin on her knees again. She had changed into a pair of pajama pants and a long sleeved shirt that she could pull over her knees if she wanted to. Her cloak lay across a nearby chair. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail at the nape of her neck. "Are you okay?" she asked softly.  
  
"What makes you think I wouldn't be?" Draco asked a bit stiffly.  
  
"Draco, I was at the Quidditch match," Hermione said.  
  
Draco sighed heavily. "Don't remind me," he said. "Potter managed to humiliate me pretty good."  
  
"Can I ask you something?" Hermione said.  
  
"I suppose," Draco said warily.  
  
"Why did you let your dad buy your way to seeker?" Hermione asked. She was expecting him to blow up at her but he didn't.  
  
"I don't know," he murmured. "My sister I'm sure is wondering the same thing."  
  
"Do you even like Quidditch?" Hermione asked.  
  
"I adore Quidditch," Draco said. "I've always wanted to play. But seeker was not the first choice for me. I've always wanted to be keeper."  
  
"Isn't the keeper position going to be open next year?" Hermione asked. "Isn't your current keeper a seventh year?"  
  
"My father might not like it," Draco murmured.  
  
"And if your father told you to jump of a bridge would you do it?" Hermione asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
Draco sighed and looked at her. "That was mean," he said.  
  
"Don't tell me mean, what about what you said about the Chamber of secrets?"  
  
Draco winced. "Sorry about that," he mumbled. "I didn't mean it."  
  
"Then you shouldn't have said it." Draco sighed. "Did you mean it?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Of course not, you don't honestly think I meant it do you?" Draco said.  
  
"I don't know," Hermione said sadly. "Until this year we weren't exactly close."  
  
"I honestly didn't mean it, Hermione," Draco said softly. "It just came out before I had a chance to think about what I was saying."  
  
Hermione looked at him. She knelt over and crawled the short distance towards him and lay down against him, her head on his chest. Draco's arms instinctively came around her holding her close. It was something he often did with his sister at home when they were trying to avoid their father.  
  
"Are you going home for Christmas?" Hermione asked softly.  
  
"I don't know," Draco said. "I haven't discussed it with Autumn yet."  
  
Hermione nodded then yawned lightly. "I think I am staying," she said.  
  
"We have time," Draco said, closing his eyes as he scooted down to lean his head comfortably against the arm of the sofa. Hermione let the soft thudding of his heartbeat lull her to sleep.  
  
~~  
  
Hours and hours later, Harry woke quite suddenly, yelping in pain. His arm felt full of large splinters. At first he thought that it was what had woken him up, then he realized someone was sponging his forehead.  
  
"Get off!" he said loudly, and then, "Dobby!"  
  
Dobby the house elf was peering at Harry through the darkness. A single tear was running down his long pointed nose. "Why didn't Harry Potter go back home after he missed the train?" he sniveled. "Dobby warned and warned Harry Potter. Ah sir, why didn't you heed Dobby?"  
  
"What're you doing here?" Harry asked, heaving himself up. "And how did you know I missed the train?" Dobby's lip was trembling, and realization dawned on Harry.  
  
"It was you!" he said slowly. "You stopped the barrier from letting us through!"  
  
"Indeed sir, yes," said Dobby. "Dobby hid and watched Harry Potter and sealed the gateway and Dobby had to iron his hands afterwards. But Dobby didn't care sir, for he thought Harry Potter was safe, and never did Dobby dream that Harry Potter would get to school another way!"  
  
"You nearly got Ron and me expelled," Harry said fiercely. "You'd better get lost before my bones come back or I might strangle you."  
  
"Dobby is used to death threats sir, gets them five times a day at home," Dobby said. He blew his nose on the filthy pillowcase he wore.  
  
"Why do you wear that thing, Dobby?" Harry asked curiously.  
  
"Tis a mark of the house-elf's enslavement, sir. Dobby can only be freed if his masters present him with clothes sir. The family is careful not to pass Dobby even a sock, sir, for then he would be free to leave their house forever." Dobby mopped his bulging eyes and said suddenly. "Harry Potter must go home! Dobby thought his Bludger would be enough to make---."  
  
"Your Bludger?" Harry said angrily. "What do you mean, your Bludger?! You made that Bludger try and kill me?"  
  
"Not kill you, never kill you," Dobby said shocked. "Dobby wants to save Harry Potter! Better to go home grievously injured then remain here sir! Dobby only wanted Harry Potter hurt enough to be sent home!"  
  
"Oh is that all? I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you wanted me sent home in pieces?" Harry asked.  
  
"If Harry Potter only knew! If he knew what he means to us. Dobby remembers how it was when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was in power. It was terrible sir," Dobby said. "It is terrible now for Dobby at home. Now that the Chamber of Secrets is open again---." Dobby looked horror struck as he hit himself over the head with Harry's water pitcher. "Bad Dobby, very bad Dobby."  
  
"So there is a Chamber of Secrets?" Harry whispered. "And--- it's been open before? Tell me Dobby!"  
  
"Ask no more of Dobby sir," Dobby said. "Dark deeds are planned in this place, but Harry Potter must not be here when they happen."  
  
"Who is it, Dobby?" Harry asked. "Who's opened it? Who opened it last time?"  
  
"Dobby can't, sir," Dobby said. "Go home, Harry Potter!" Dobby suddenly froze, his ears perking. "Dobby must go!" There was a loud crack, and Harry's fist was suddenly clutching thin air. He heard footsteps drawing nearer to the hospital wing.  
  
"Get Madame Pomfrey," whispered Dumbledore. He looked to be holding the head of a statue, and McGonagall followed in, appearing to be holding the feet of the statue.  
  
Madame Pomfrey came scurrying over. "What happened?" she whispered, bending over the statue.  
  
"Another attack," Dumbledore said. "Minerva found him on the stairs."  
  
"We think he was trying to sneak up here to see Potter," McGonagall said. "There were a bunch of grapes next to him." Harry's stomach gave a horrible lurch. He raised himself a few inches to look at the statue just as a ray of moonlight slashed across its face. It was Colin Creevey.  
  
"Petrified?" Madame Pomfrey said.  
  
"Yes," McGonagall said. "But I shudder to think… If Albus hadn't been on the way downstairs for hot chocolate---." Dumbledore leaned forward and wrenched the camera out of Colin's rigid grasp. "Do you think he managed to get a picture of his attacker?" McGonagall asked.  
  
Dumbledore didn't answer. He opened the back of the camera. "Goodness gracious!" Madame Pomfrey said. A jet of steam had hissed out of the camera. Harry, three beds away caught the acrid smell of burnt plastic.  
  
"Melted," Madame Pomfrey said.  
  
"What does this mean, Albus?" McGonagall said.  
  
"It means," said Dumbledore. "That the Chamber of Secrets is indeed open again." Madame Pomfrey clapped a hand to her mouth as McGonagall stared at Dumbledore.  
  
"But Albus, surely, who?" McGonagall asked.  
  
"The question is not who," Dumbledore said, his eyes on Colin. "The question is how…"  
  
Harry could see Professor McGonagall's shadowy face, and he could tell that she didn't understand this any better than he did.  
  
  
  
~~  
  
"How could something like this happen, Albus?" McGonagall said as she walked into the rooms she shared secretly with Dumbledore. Their offices led into their rooms through secret passageways so as not to alert anyone to their relationship.  
  
"My love, stop fretting," Dumbledore said. "We will get through this and find the person responsible before anything else happens."  
  
"What about our granddaughter?" McGonagall said, wringing her hands. "She could be in danger! Everyone thinks she is a muggle-born."  
  
Dumbledore walked over and caught her hands. "Shh," he said soothingly. "You must think positively, Minerva. She will be fine, we will get through this, just as we have with everything else."  
  
McGonagall looked up at him, tears falling down her cheeks. "Oh Albus, I am so scared for her," she whispered. "She is so close and we can't protect her the way I'd like us to. To hold her close and protect her."  
  
Dumbledore wiped her tears away. "She is protected, love," he said gently. "She is a smart girl, she will not be hurt. We could not be more proud of her, you know that."  
  
McGonagall stroked his cheek gently. She leaned up and gently kissed him before leading him towards their bed for the night.  
  
~~  
  
Snape walked to the east hall and stared at the wall he knew led into a room. He softly gave the password to the room and wall shimmered and faded to reveal the room. He walked in noticing that the only light in the room was the fading fire. He frowned. He knew Draco wasn't in his room and upon inquiring as to Hermione's whereabouts he found that she wasn't in her room either.  
  
Snape moved closer and saw Draco's blonde head resting against the arm of the sofa and he peered down. A smile started to make its way across his often too serious face as he looked down. Hermione was sprawled beside Draco, her head on his chest and her hair loosened from her ponytail. Her cheeks were pink as were Draco's as he laid there, his arm around her protectively. Muttering a soft incantation, a soft blanket appeared. He laid it gently over the top of the two students, pausing when Draco shifted slightly. Hermione's nose merely wrinkled then both settled again.  
  
Snape smiled a bit and turned to walk out of the room silently. He made a mental note to himself to come down early enough to wake them both up so they could sneak into their dorms before anyone woke up so they wouldn't have any questions asked. He glanced one more time at them before leaving the room.  
  
~~  
  
Autumn walked down to the common room the next morning. "Hi Autumn."  
  
"Hi Terrence." Autumn smiled at the third year that played Quidditch with her brother.  
  
"How's Draco doing?"  
  
"Disappointed, but I think he'll be okay."  
  
Terrence moved over to let Autumn sit down by him. "Flint can be pretty harsh."  
  
Autumn smiled sitting and curling her legs under her. "Draco really isn't a seeker. He always preferred being the keeper."  
  
"Really?" Terrence looked at her surprised.  
  
"Actually," Autumn blushed a bit, "Whenever we played Quidditch at home, I was always the seeker."  
  
"There will be a keeper spot open next year. If he goes for that, are you going to try for seeker?"  
  
"I thought I might."  
  
Terrence smiled, "That would be neat."  
  
"Actually, I've been meaning to ask you if you'd help me train."  
  
"I'm not that good Autumn. That's why I switched."  
  
"You were seeker for a year though. And the only reason Flint really moved you was because of my father. Otherwise, you'd probably still be seeker."  
  
"Alright. I'll give you the tips that I can."  
  
"Thanks Terrence."  
  
"Anytime. So Autumn…"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Are you in classes with Ginny Weasley?"  
  
"Yeah, why do you ask?"  
  
"I don't know. Just seen her around. And well, I've just noticed she doesn't look well."  
  
"She has gotten a bit more skittish as of late, but she's still in classes and she still gets good scores."  
  
Terrence nodded, "Ah, okay."  
  
"What are you doing worrying about her anyway? She is a Gryffindor."  
  
"Like Harry Potter is a Gryffindor?" Terrence grinned at her with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.  
  
"Well, um… yeah… like… that."  
  
Terrence nodded, "Thought so."  
  
~~  
  
Harry woke up Sunday morning to find the dormitory blazing with winter sunlight and his arm reboned but very stiff. He sat up and looked at Colin's bed, but it was blocked. Madame Pomfrey came over when she saw that he was awake and started stretching and bending his fingers and arms. "All in order," she said as he clumsily tried to feed himself. "When you've finished eating you may leave."  
  
Harry dressed quickly and hurried back to Gryffindor tower, desperate to tell Hermione and Ron about Colin and Dobby, but they weren't there. Harry went looking for them wondering where they could have got to and feeling slightly hurt that they weren't interested in whether he had his bones back or not.  
  
Harry passed the library just as Percy Weasley strolled out of it, looking in far better spirits than last time they'd met. "Oh hello Harry," Percy said. "Excellent flying yesterday, really excellent. Gryffindor has just taken the lead for the House Cup—you earned fifty points!"  
  
"You haven't seen Ron or Hermione, have you?" Harry asked.  
  
"No, I haven't," Percy said, his smile fading. "I hope Ron's not in another girl's toilet…"  
  
Harry forced a laugh. He watched Percy walk out of sight and then headed straight for Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. He couldn't see why Ron and Hermione would be in there again, but after making sure that neither Filch nor any prefects were around, he opened the door and heard their voices coming from a locked stall.  
  
"It's me," he said, closing the door behind him. He heard a clunk and a splash. A gasp came from within the stall and he saw Hermione's eye peering through the keyhole.  
  
"Harry!" she said. "You gave us such a fright! How's your arm? Come in!"  
  
"Fine," Harry said, squeezing into the stall. An old cauldron was perched on the toilet. Crackling from under the rim told Harry they had lit a fire beneath it. He had thought before he came in he had heard Ron and Hermione arguing a bit.  
  
"Why were you two arguing?" Harry asked curiously.  
  
"No reason," Hermione said. Her cheeks were pink, her eyes flashing.  
  
"Hermione showed up in Gryffindor tower in her pajamas this morning," Ron growled out.  
  
"So what!" Hermione said her hands on her hips. "You both know I have a room I go to when I need to be by myself. Sometimes I fall asleep there."  
  
"We're supposed to be friends!" Ron said. "Why won't you tell us where this room is?"  
  
"Ron don't," Harry said. Ron looked at him with a frown. "Hermione doesn't have to tell us everything, one day we'll probably want that same consideration."  
  
"You keeping secrets too Harry?" Ron asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"I didn't say that," Harry said. "Can we get back to this?"  
  
Ron sighed and looked. "We were gonna come see you this morning, but we decided to get started on the Polyjuice Potion instead," he said. "We decided this is the safest place to hide it."  
  
Harry started to tell them about Colin, but Hermione interrupted. "We already know—we heard Professor McGonagall telling Professor Flitwick this morning. That's why we decided we'd better get going--." The trio had decided to create a Polyjuice potion in order to get a confession out of Draco in regards to anything he might know with the Chamber of Secrets.  
  
"The sooner we get the confession out of Malfoy the better," Ron snarled. He didn't see the slightly guilty expression on Hermione's face. "D'you know what I think?" He was in such a foul temper after the Quidditch match, he took it out on Colin."  
  
"Ron," Hermione said softly. "Don't…"  
  
"Well it's true, that's what I think," Ron said, glancing at Hermione.  
  
"There's something else," Harry broke in. He watched as Hermione started tearing bundles of knotgrass and throwing them into the potion. "Dobby came to visit me in the middle of the night." Ron and Hermione looked up amazed as Harry told them everything Dobby had told him—or hadn't told him. Hermione and Ron listened with their mouths open.  
  
"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?!" Hermione said. This meant that it couldn't be Draco. She frowned slightly when Ron spoke.  
  
"This settles it," Ron said triumphantly. "Lucius Malfoy must've opened the Chamber when he was at school here and now he's told dear old Draco how to do it. It's obvious. Wish Dobby'd told you what kind of monster is in there, though. I want to know how come nobody's noticed it sneaking around the school."  
  
"Maybe it can make itself invisible or maybe it can disguise itself—pretend to be a suit of armor or something—I've read about Chameleon Ghouls—"  
  
"You read too much, Hermione," Ron said, pouring dead lacewings on top of the leeches Hermione had put into the potion. He looked at Harry.  
  
"So Dobby stopped us from getting on the train and broke your arm…" He shook his head. "You know what, Harry? If he doesn't stop trying to save your life, he's going to kill you."  
  
~~  
  
News of Colin's attack spread like wild fire through the castle. Ginny, who sat next to Colin in Charms, was distraught. Harry felt that Fred and George were going the wrong way about cheering her up. They were taking turns covering themselves with fur and boils and jumping out at her. They stopped when Percy told them he was going to write their mother and tell her that Ginny was having nightmares. Marissa and Alissa had admonished the twin boys for their attempts at scaring their sister.  
  
Hidden from the teachers, a roaring trade in talismans, amulets and other protective devices were sweeping the school. Neville Longbottom had bought a large, evil-smelling green onion, a pointed purple crystal, and a rotting newt tail before the other Gryffindor boys pointed out that he was in no danger he was a pure-blood, therefore unlikely to be attacked.  
  
"But they went after Filch first," Neville pointed out one night in the common room. "And everyone knows I am practically a Squib."  
  
"You are not, Neville," Hermione said glancing at him. "You just need a little tutoring."  
  
"If it's all the same, I'll still keep these as protection."  
  
"Oh honestly!" Hermione shook her head.  
  
~~  
  
Autumn walked over to her brother in the library. "Hey."  
  
"Hey there. What are you doing over here?" asked Draco.  
  
"Looking for you. How are you doing?"  
  
"Better. I'm okay, really."  
  
"Good. Father sent a letter."  
  
Draco put down his pen and leaned back, "What does it say?"  
  
"He wants to know if we are planning on coming home for the holidays or not."  
  
"He's giving us a choice?"  
  
"Apparently."  
  
"Well?"  
  
"I would rather stay here then go home Draco."  
  
"I agree. I'll send word and put our names on the list as staying for the holidays."  
  
Autumn smiled and nodded, "Where did you run off to last night?"  
  
"Just for a walk. Needed to think."  
  
"I was worried about you."  
  
"It's okay."  
  
Autumn nodded and kissed his cheek. "I've got to go. I'm meeting a group from one of my classes."  
  
"Alright, I'll see you at dinner then."  
  
"Yup," Autumn said as she stood up and turned to leave.  
  
~~  
  
The Polyjuice potion still wasn't quite ready. They still needed the bicorn horn and the boomslang skin, and the only place they could be gotten was in Snape's private stores. That was the topic of conversation the next day before their Thursday double potions class.  
  
"What we need," Hermione said. "Is a diversion. Then one of us can sneak into Snape's office and take what we need." Harry and Ron exchanged looks nervously. "I think I'd better do the actual stealing," Hermione continued. "You two will get expelled if you get into anymore trouble. All you need to do is create some mayhem for five minutes to keep Snape busy."  
  
Harry smiled feebly. Deliberately causing mayhem in Snape's Potions class was about as safe as poking a sleeping dragon in the eye. Potions always took place in one of the larger dungeons. That afternoon's lesson proceeded the usual way. Twenty cauldrons stood steaming between the wooden desks, on which stood brass scales and jars of ingredients Snape prowled through the fumes, making waspish remarks about Gryffindors' work while the Slytherins sniggered appreciatively. Draco wasn't quite as hostile as normal, but so as not to raise questions, he kept flicking puffer-fish eyes at Ron and Harry.  
  
Harry's swelling solution was far too runny, but he had his mind on more important things. He was waiting for Hermione's signal. When Snape turned away from insulting Harry's potion to pick on Neville, Hermione caught Snape's eye and nodded. Harry ducked swiftly behind his cauldron and pulled one of Fred's filibuster fireworks from his robe and gave it a quick prod with his wand. He straightened as it began to sputter and lobbed it into the air. It landed directly in Goyle's cauldron.  
  
Goyle's potion exploded, showering the class. People shrieked as splashes of swelling solution hit them. Malfoy got a face full and Hermione paused, worried for him. She began to hurry again after shaking herself out of it. Draco's nose began to swell like a balloon. Goyle blundered around, his hands over his eyes, which had expanded to the size of dinner plates. Snape was trying to restore calm and find out what happened. Through it all, Harry saw Hermione slip into Snape's office.  
  
"Silence! SILENCE!" Snape roared. "Anyone who has been splashed, come here for a Deflating Draft—when I found out who did this…" Harry tried not to laugh as he watched Draco hurry forward, his head drooping with the weight of his nose like a small melon. As half of the class lumbered to Snape's desk, some weighted down with arms like clubs, including Morgana who was cradling her one hand which had swollen to the size of a quaffle, others unable to talk through giant puffed up lips, Harry saw Hermione slide back into the dungeon, the front of her robes bulging.  
  
Once everyone who needed it had taken the antidote, Snape moved over to Goyle's cauldron. From the cauldron he retrieved the twisted black remains of the firework causing all in the room to go silent. "If I ever find out who threw this," Snape glanced around his voice nothing more than a harsh whisper, "I shall make sure that person is expelled."  
  
Harry forced his expression into one of confusion and puzzlement. He met Snape's piercing glare. When the bell finally rang, he quickly gathered his things and ran out the classroom.  
  
Morgana watched Ron, Harry and Hermione run out of Potions class. She'd stayed to talk to Snape, but she knew that the three of them were up to something and she wanted to know what. She followed them down a hallway and as Hermione and Harry rounded a corner, she grabbed the hood of Ron's robe and pulled him back, pinning him against the wall.  
  
Ron choked and then gasped as he was thrown against a wall, "What?!"  
  
Morgana looked, "Explain slug boy."  
  
"Explain what?" Ron looked at her, his eyes wide in fear.  
  
"What did you take from Snape's office? Why did Harry set off that firework?"  
  
Ron shook his head, "I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
"Don't lie to me Weasley. I saw the whole thing. What are you three up to?"  
  
"It was just a dare. Hermione didn't take anything important. Just a few ingredients that aren't in the student stores."  
  
Morgana raised a brow, "Why don't I believe you Weasley?"  
  
"Look, we're not going to harm anyone. It's just for something that we're working on for ourselves."  
  
Morgana still held him against the wall. "I should report you all to Professor Snape right now."  
  
"Please don't. We'd all get expelled."  
  
"Give me one good reason not to."  
  
"We didn't do anything of real harm. No one's hurt and Snape won't miss what we took."  
  
"If I hear that you three have caused a student to get hurt because of some potion you're brewing, I won't hesitate to report it."  
  
Ron held his hands up, "Okay. Could you, um… put me down now please?"  
  
Morgana released her hold on him so he wasn't pushed against the wall anymore. "Remember."  
  
"Right." Ron backed away from her and then turned and ran down the corridor.  
  
Harry and Hermione looked at Ron as he came running down the hallway to the bathroom. "What took you so long?"  
  
"I dropped something, had to go back to get it." Ron said breathlessly. He didn't want them to know that Morgana had seen them. Might make them panic.  
  
Harry nodded and pushed the door to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom open. "Snape knew it was me." He said as he entered. "I could tell."  
  
Hermione didn't answer, concentrating on the potion and adding the new ingredients. "It'll be ready in two weeks." She finally announced.  
  
Ron made a face and looked at Harry, "Snape can't prove it was you. Besides, what could he possibly do about it?"  
  
Harry sighed looking at them both, "Knowing him, something foul."  
  
Ron nodded hoping that Morgana kept her word and didn't say anything to Snape about what she had seen.  
  
~~  
  
Morgana walked into Snape's office and went over.  
  
"Morgana."  
  
"Sir."  
  
"How's your hand?"  
  
"It's fine, though my arm is a bit sore from the weight it held for that time."  
  
Snape walked over and ran his hand over her arm feeling for any potential damage that her swollen hand could have caused. "Is it true about the Chamber of Secrets?" she asked.  
  
"It is not a legend as they say. It happened once before in the history of Hogwarts, when Professor Dumbledore was a teacher here."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"The culprit was caught and expelled."  
  
"Do you have any idea of who it could be now?"  
  
"No. But you are safe."  
  
"Am I really? I'm a half blood."  
  
Snape rubbed her arms and kissed her forehead, "You'll be okay. I won't let anything happen to you."  
  
Morgana nodded and looked, "I'd better go. I have to get to practice."  
  
"I will speak to you later this evening then."  
  
Morgana nodded, "Bye."  
  
Snape watched her leave and then sat down in his chair, trying to figure out how he could make her feel at ease.  
  
~~  
  
Hermione walked into the private room she shared with Draco. She bit her lip. "You okay?" she asked.  
  
Draco looked up, his nose the size it normally was. "Yeah, neck hurts a little though," he said. "You didn't get splashed did you?"  
  
Hermione shook her head and walked over and sat down beside him. "No," she said. "I don't sit near you remember?"  
  
Draco nodded and rubbed his neck. "I wonder what in the world happened," he said.  
  
"Snape didn't say anything?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Saw the filibuster in his hand but no, he hasn't said anything," Draco said. Hermione bit her lip and looked into the fire.  
  
"Do you know anything about it?" Draco asked her.  
  
Hermione shook her head. "I was as surprised as you were," she said. Draco raised an eyebrow. Hermione hadn't made eye contact with him. Something was off.  
  
~~  
  
A week past since the Potions incident and Harry, Ron and Hermione had relaxed to some extent. They walked into the entrance hall and moved over to a small group of people that were gathered around the notice board. Seamus and Dean motioned to them excitedly.  
  
"They're going to start a Dueling Club!" Seamus told them. "The first meeting is tonight! Dueling lesson might come in handy one of these days…"  
  
"What, do you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" Said Ron, but he also read the sing with interest.  
  
"Should we go?" Ron asked as the three friends headed in for dinner. "It could be useful."  
  
Harry and Hermione agreed so they decided to meet that evening and attend together.  
  
~~  
  
Autumn smiled bouncing into the common room. "Did you see Draco?"  
  
Draco looked up from his book, "See what?"  
  
"About the dueling club? Are you going to go?"  
  
"Yes, I am, but I don't want you to go."  
  
Autumn's excited look vanished and she frowned, "You don't want me to go?"  
  
"No. I don't think it'll be a good idea right now."  
  
Autumn sat down and looked at him, "But why?"  
  
"You're still learning the basics, and well, I don't know, I just think it would be best if you didn't go."  
  
Autumn looked at him, "I really wanted to go."  
  
Draco hugged her to him, his arm around her shoulders. "Let me go and see if it's safe. We don't know who's running it and I want to make sure it'll be safe. If it is, then you can go to the next meeting."  
  
Autumn looked, "There are other first years going though."  
  
"Do you trust me Autumn?"  
  
Autumn shook her head, "Yes."  
  
"Then do this for me. I have a not so great feeling about this, and I don't want you getting hurt."  
  
"Alright then. I'll wait."  
  
Draco kissed her forehead. "Thanks."  
  
Autumn nodded, "So where have you been hiding lately?"  
  
"No where in particular. Just been busy." Draco looked down at his watch, "Actually, I have to get going. I'm late."  
  
"Late for what?"  
  
"Meeting with another student." Draco gathered his books. "I'll see you later."  
  
"Bye." Autumn waved, watching him run out of the common room.  
  
~~  
  
At eight o' clock, Harry, Hermione and Ron hurried back to the Great Hall. The dining tables had disappeared and in their place, a golden stage had appeared along one wall. The room was still lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black and it seemed as if every Hogwarts student was packed beneath it, wands in hand talking excitedly.  
  
"I wonder who'll be our instructor." Hermione said as they moved into the crowd. "I heard that Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was younger. It might be him."  
  
"As long as it's not…" Harry started, but ended with a groan. Gilderoy Lockhart had walked onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum. Accompanying him was Snape in his usual black robes.  
  
Lockhart motioned for silence and called out, "Everyone Gather round Please! Gather round!" He watched as the students moved closer to the stage, "Can everyone see me? Can everyone hear me? Excellent!"  
  
"Now, Professor Dumbledore has given me permission to start this dueling club and train you all to defend yourselves as I have done on countless occasions. For more details, see my published works. My assistant this evening is Professor Snape." Lockhart flashed a large smile at Snape. "He tells me that he knows a little bit about dueling and he has willingly agreed to assist me with a short demonstration. Now I don't want anyone to worry. Your Potions master will still be here when I'm through with him, never fear!"  
  
"Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?" Ron muttered.  
  
Morgana narrowed her eyes at Ron hearing his comment.  
  
Alissa and Marissa smiled watching the action on stage. "I bet Snape finishes that twit off."  
  
"What are we betting on?" George asked walking up behind them.  
  
"Yeah, any chance we can be let in on the action?"  
  
Alissa grinned looking at them, "Didn't think your mommy let you bet on things." She said teasingly.  
  
"Yeah, we wouldn't want to get you two in trouble with your mommy." Marissa grinned.  
  
Fred raised a brow. "Hey now."  
  
"Come on, let us in on it." George looked at them with puppy dog eyes.  
  
Alissa laughed, "I was just saying that I bet Snape knocks Lockhart into oblivion."  
  
George laughed, "That would be something to see."  
  
"Get rid of the twit." Fred smiled.  
  
Marissa agreed. "He is useless."  
  
"Look, they're starting. Let's see what happens." Alissa turned to watch the stage.  
  
Harry watched as Snape sneered at Lockhart. He couldn't figure out why Lockhart was still smiling. He knew he wouldn't be if Snape was looking at him like that.  
  
Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other. Snape jerked his head irritably at the twirling of Lockhart's hands as he bowed. They raised their wands in a defensive position in front of them.  
  
"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted position for combat." Lockhart told the crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will aim to kill of course."  
  
"I wouldn't bet on that." Harry mumbled as he watched Snape bare his teeth.  
  
"One… two… three…"  
  
Snape and Lockhart swung their wands over their heads and pointed them at their opponent. Snape cried, "Expelliarmus!" There was a bright flash of scarlet light and Lockhart flew off his feet backwards and smashed into a wall behind the stage. He slid down it and sprawled on the floor.  
  
The Slytherins cheered. Hermione danced on her tiptoes. "Do you think he's all right?" She squealed between her fingers.  
  
"Who cares?" Ron and Harry said simultaneously.  
  
Lockhart got unsteadily to his feet. His hat lay on the ground, his wavy hair standing on end.  
  
"Well," Lockhart said tottering back to the platform, "There you have it! That was a Disarming Charm. As you can see, I've lot my wand." Lockhart reached down as Lavender handed it to him, "Thank you Ms. Brown. Yes… an excellent thing to show them Professor Snape. However, it was very obvious that you were going to do that. If I had wished to stop you I could have done so easily, however, I felt that they should see that."  
  
Maria jumped as someone rested a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"You okay?" Oliver watched her.  
  
Maria uncovered her eyes and nodded. "I thought Snape had killed him."  
  
"He's fine." Oliver grinned watching her. "So are you like all the others. Do you have a crush on him too?"  
  
Maria blushed, "No… not… not really." She looked down.  
  
"It's okay. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I gotta go." Oliver nodded to where Angelina and some of the other members of the Quidditch team stood.  
  
"Thanks." Maria whispered watching as he walked away to stand back by Angelina.  
  
"Enough demonstrating!" Lockhart looked around, ignoring Snape's murderous glare. "Let's pair everybody up and then we will practice disarming only."  
  
Lockhart moved through the crowd teaming up students. He teamed Neville with Justin Finch-Fletchley. Harry moved towards Ron as Snape approached them. "Time to split up the dream team."  
  
"Weasley, you will partner with Morgana."  
  
Morgana looked up at Snape and moved over to face Ron.  
  
"Potter…" Harry moved automatically towards Hermione.  
  
"I don't think so." Snape smiled coldly as he spoke. "Mr. Malfoy, come here. Let's see what you make of famous Mr. Potter. And you Miss Granger, you can pair up with Miss Bulstrode."  
  
Harry watched Malfoy strut over followed by a Slytherin girl who was large, square and whose heavy jaw jutted with aggression. Hermione smiled weakly as they faced each other. In the back of Draco's mind he was wondering what in the world Snape was thinking for pairing Hermione with such a brutish girl.  
  
"Face your partners!" Lockhart called from the platform. "And bow!"  
  
Harry barely inclined his head at Malfoy, not taking his eyes off of him.  
  
"Wands at the ready!" Lockhart shouted. "When I count to three cast your charms to disarm your opponents. Remember, disarm only! We don't want any accidents. One… two… three…"  
  
Morgana grinned as Snape paired her with Ron for the duel. "Hello Weasley."  
  
Ron frowned, "Um… right, hello."  
  
Morgana stood mere paces away. "Did your little potion work slug boy?"  
  
Ron frowned, "Stop calling me that!" He felt himself blush every time she called him that.  
  
"Stop calling you what slug boy?" Morgana taunted as she walked around him in a circle like a cat stalking its prey.  
  
Ron could feel the anger building inside of him. "Slug boy! Stop calling me slug boy!" He replied, his voice rising.  
  
"And if I don't? What are you going to do about it?"  
  
Ron clenched his fists. He heard Lockhart give the go ahead to start the duels. He raised his wand and there was a loud bang.  
  
Harry swung his wand, but Draco had started on two. Harry stumbled as Draco's spell hit him. Everything was still working so Harry pointed his wand at Draco and shouted, "Rictusempra!"  
  
A jet of silver light hit Malfoy in the stomach and he doubled over wheezing.  
  
"I said disarm only!" Lockhart shouted in a panic over the battling crowd.  
  
Draco sunk to his knees from the Tickling Charm that Harry had hit him with. He could barely move from all the laughing. Between gasping breaths, Draco pointed his wand at Harry's knees and choked, "Tarantallegra!"  
  
Harry's legs began to jerk out of control in a quickstep of sorts.  
  
"Stop! Stop!" Lockhart screamed.  
  
Morgana had been in the process of waving her wand when she felt something hard hit her in the stomach. She fell backwards landing hard on the floor. She pulled her knees up to her chest as she tried to catch a breath of air.  
  
Snape saw what had happened and tried to push his way through the crowd of dueling students. He narrowly ducked out of the way of a few misplaced spells as he hurried forward.  
  
Ron's eyes went wide as Morgana fell backwards gasping for air. He immediately felt guilty about whatever his wand had done. He ran over, "Are you alright?"  
  
Morgana stared at him with narrowed eyes. She felt like a fish out of water as she gasped for air. She watched as Snape ran over and muttered loudly, "Finite Incantatum!"  
  
Ron watched as Morgana started to breath easer. He reached down and helped her up, "I'm sorry. My wand… I didn't mean to."  
  
Ron continued to apologize, oddly enough feeling very concerned about her ashen face and stiff movements.  
  
Morgana looked at Ron, "Forget… about… it." She said between breaths. "Do… me a… favor."  
  
"What?" Ron asked watching her surprised that she hadn't yet tried to curse him.  
  
Morgana eased away from him feeling better. "Get a new wand." She'd heard the spell that he'd been trying to cast and knew what hit her wasn't it. She nodded to Hermione and Milicent. "I think she needs help."  
  
Ron yelped and ran over to help Hermione.  
  
Morgana looked at Snape who was watching her with concern. She just nodded and went to sit down and rest.  
  
"Oh dear," Lockhart said as he moved through the crowd, looking at the aftermath of the duels. "I think we'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells." He glanced at Snape. "We'll have volunteer pair… Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley I think."  
  
"Bad idea Professor Lockhart." Snape glided over towards him. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest of spells. Unless you wish to send what's left of Finch-Fletchley to the hospital wing in a matchbox."  
  
Neville blushed bright red, his hands twisting in his robes. "How about Malfoy and Potter instead?" Snape rounded on the two boys with a twisted grin.  
  
"Excellent idea!" Lockhart gestured the two of them to the stage.  
  
Harry felt a bad feeling about this set up. He watched as Lockhart motioned him over. "Now Harry, when Draco points his wand, do this."  
  
Harry felt sick as he watched Lockhart attempt a complicated wiggling action dropping his wand as he did. "Whoops, my wand is a tad over excited."  
  
Snape laughed and then leaned down whispering in Draco's ear.  
  
"Um, Professor?" Harry looked nervously from Draco to Lockhart, "Could you show me that blocking thing again?"  
  
"Scared Potter?" Draco muttered softly enough for Harry to hear and no one else.  
  
"You wish." Harry shot back.  
  
"Now Harry, no worries. Just do what I did."  
  
Harry rolled his eyes, "You mean drop my wand?" He muttered under his breath.  
  
"Three… two… one… go!"  
  
Draco quickly raised his wand and shouted, "Serpensortia!"  
  
Harry watched as the end of Draco's wand exploded and a long black snake shot out of it and fell heavily to the floor, ready to strike. The crowd screamed as it backed away swiftly.  
  
"Don't move Potter." Snape said lazily, enjoying Harry's frozen state as he stood eye to eye with the angry snake. "I'll get rid of it…."  
  
"Allow me!" Lockhart said, brandishing his wand. There was a loud bang and the snake flew into the air and then hit the floor with a loud smack. Enraged and hissing furiously it slid straight towards Justin Finch- Fletchley, fangs bared ready to strike.  
  
Harry didn't know what possessed him to do what he did. He hadn't even been aware of deciding to do it. He just knew that he was running towards the snake shouting foolishly, "Leave him alone." As if the snake would understand him. Miraculously the snake slumped docile to the floor. It watched Harry as he slid to a stop by him. He didn't know how, but he knew that the snake wouldn't attack anyone now.  
  
He looked up at Justin with a grin, expecting Justin to look relieved, or puzzled, or ever grateful. He hadn't expected him to look scared and angry.  
  
"What do you think you're playing at?" He shouted. Before Harry could respond, Justin had turned and stormed out.  
  
Snape stepped forward, waved his wand and the snake vanished. Harry didn't care for the shrewd, calculating look Snape shot at him. He was dimly aware of the ominous muttering in the hall that was gradually growing louder. He felt someone tugging on his robes.  
  
"Come on." Ron muttered in his ear, "Move… come on…"  
  
Harry let Ron steer him out the hall, Hermione running alongside of them. Harry noticed how people moved quickly away from him as if they were scared they'd catch something from him. He was so confused. He only hoped that Ron and Hermione could clear things up.  
  
~~  
  
Maria paled as Ron ran and pushed Harry out of the hall. She still couldn't believe what had just happened. Harry Potter was a parselmouth. The snake that had come out of Malfoy's wand had nearly killed Justin, and Harry had spoken to it. She stood staring at the spot where the snake lay, her hands shaking, as she tried to understand how a Gryffindor could speak Parseltongue. She jumped as Percy rested his hand on her shoulder. "Come on Maria."  
  
Maria moved numbly with Percy. "Percy he can't be… could he?"  
  
Percy shook his head. "It's Harry Maria. You know that Harry…"  
  
"He's a parselmouth… Slytherin's heir…"  
  
"Let's not think on it tonight. It's been a long, confusing night."  
  
Maria let Percy walk her to the common room. She was trying her hardest to remember that it was only Harry and she really shouldn't be afraid of him.  
  
~~  
  
Morgana sat on Snape's desk watching him pace back and forth. "I don't understand. Why is everyone so upset?"  
  
Snape stopped and looked at her, "He's a parselmouth."  
  
"Parselmouth?"  
  
"He can speak Parseltongue, snake language."  
  
"I still don't understand. What's so awful? He stopped the snake from eating Justin didn't he?"  
  
Snape walked over to her. "Very few wizard's have the ability to speak Parseltongue and the ones who do have the ability are usually of the evil sort."  
  
"But I thought Harry Potter was famous for destroying the dark lord."  
  
"He is, but that doesn't mean he will become a good wizard."  
  
"So, look at the Slytherin's. Aren't we famous for going bad?"  
  
Snape sighed, "It isn't just that Morgana."  
  
"Then what?"  
  
"The chamber of secrets has been open."  
  
Morgana shrugged, "And?"  
  
"Only Slytherin's heir could open it. Slytherin's heir would most likely be a parselmouth seeing as that is what Salthazar Slytherin was famous for."  
  
Morgana looked down, "Oh. I see."  
  
"So you understand the concern now my dear?"  
  
"Yes, but…"  
  
"But?" Snape raised a brow.  
  
"Well Harry is a Gryffindor and his best friend is a muggle."  
  
Snape watched, "I don't' know. I can't explain. Just be careful around him."  
  
Morgana nodded. Inside her head she debated whether or not to tell him about the stolen potions ingredients. In the end she decided not to. There hadn't been any students harmed by potions yet, just mysterious entities.  
  
"Go to bed Morgana. It's been a long evening."  
  
Morgana hopped down as Snape leaned over and kissed her forehead gently. "Good night."  
  
Morgana said good night as she left the office and returned to the common room.  
  
~~  
  
Autumn sat in front of the common room fireplace. She tried to study, but kept looking at her watch. She'd really wanted to go to the dueling club, but Draco had asked her to stay behind. She was hoping that Draco would feel it was safe enough for a first year to attend. She trusted her brother and knew he was just concerned. She looked up as students started to slowly file into the common room excitedly jabbering. She could only catch a few mumbled words that only served to heighten her excitement. She nervously watched for Draco.  
  
Draco walked in and looked over at Autumn's anxious expression. He walked over and sat down.  
  
"Well?" Autumn asked with excitement.  
  
"It was interesting."  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Harry Potter is a parselmouth."  
  
"He's a what?"  
  
'  
  
"A parselmouth Autumn."  
  
"But… how can he be one Draco? He's in Gryffindor."  
  
"I don't know, but he is."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Draco started at the beginning and told her about everything; Lockhart and Snape's duel, his first duel with Harry, then the second duel when his snake came out of the wand. He told her how Lockhart had caused the snake to fly across the room near Justin and how Harry had run after it yelling something in Parseltongue. He told her how the snake was ready to kill Justin when all of a sudden it just became docile.  
  
"Couldn't Harry have been telling the snake to stop?"  
  
"No one knows Autumn. No one else at school speaks Parseltongue." Draco knew this wasn't the complete truth, but what Autumn didn't know about this was for the best.  
  
"Draco, what else is wrong?"  
  
"The chamber of secrets is open."  
  
Autumn looked, not sure where he was leading, "And?"  
  
"Only Slytherin's heir could open it and Slytherin's heir would be…"  
  
"A parselmouth." Autumn stopped, realizing, "Draco, do you really think?"  
  
"I don't know." Draco watched her. He knew his sister had a soft spot for Harry. In a way he knew it was actually more of a crush, but he was hoping that if he didn't call it that it would die out. "Autumn, be careful with him."  
  
Autumn looked at him. "We're purebloods."  
  
"Autumn, please."  
  
Autumn sighed. She didn't like to argue with her brother. "Alright."  
  
Draco smiled and watched her, "I have to go meet a study partner. I'll talk to you later."  
  
Autumn watched him, "Dra…" He was gone before she could finish. She leaned back. She wanted to know why her brother never met his friend in the common room. She sighed, gazing into the fire, thoughts of Harry and her brother's words bouncing around in her head.  
  
~~  
  
Harry lay awake in his bed. He was a parselmouth. He still couldn't believe it. He knew he could talk to snakes, but he'd never realized that it was a bad thing, at least not until Hermione and Ron had filled him in on the wizarding world stance of parselmouths. Could he be a descendant of Salazar Slytherin? He didn't know anything about his father's family. The Dursley's had never tolerated questions about him. Harry tried to say something in Parseltongue, but nothing happened. He supposed that he'd have to be face to face with a snake for it to work.  
  
Harry tried to console himself by remembering he was in Gryffindor. Surely the Sorting Hat wouldn't have put him there had he had Slytherin blood. But a little voice nagged at him, 'But the Sorting Hat wanted to put you in Slytherin, or don't you remember?'  
  
Harry turned over. He'd talk to Justin in Herbology and explain everything then. He pummeled his pillow angrily as he thought that any fool should be able to see that he was calling the snake off and not egging it on. With a loud sigh Harry closed his eyes and tried to get some sleep.  
  
~~  
  
Maria startled awake from her nightmare. She sat up and looked around, feeling better when she realized she as in her own room and not a dungeon. Still, a part of her mind thought about the fact that somewhere in Gryffindor tower, Harry Potter was sleeping and he was a parselmouth. Maria sighed and got up. Percy had forced her to take a calming draught so that she would sleep. There was no way she'd be able to sleep now. She didn't want to take another potion. Maria sighed and pulled on her slippers, and then pulling her quilt off the bed, she wrapped it around her and went downstairs to read and write.  
  
Oliver stretched as he tried to finish the Quidditch strategies he was working on. He looked up as he heard a stair creak. He looked at the time and wondered who could be lurking about. He pulled on his robe and quietly got up to see.  
  
Maria curled up in her window seat and pulled her journal out and opened it up to start writing. She began to lose herself in all her thoughts.  
  
Oliver walked to the stairs and looked. He saw Maria and frowned. He moved down the stairs and walked over to her.  
  
Maria was lost in thought when she felt something heavy rest on her shoulder. She looked over and screamed seeing someone standing in the shadows next to her.  
  
Oliver jumped and covered her mouth pulling her close to him, "Maria… shh… it's me, Oliver."  
  
Maria blinked away her tears and looked up. Her hands unfolded from the fists they were clenched in and rested on his chest. "Ol… Oliver…" She stuttered as he removed his hand.  
  
Oliver rubbed her arms. "Are you okay? I didn't mean to scare you."  
  
Maria nodded leaning back away from him. She pulled the quilt tighter around her shoulders.  
  
Oliver watched her, "What are you doing up?"  
  
"I couldn't sleep. And you?"  
  
"I was working on some new Quidditch plays."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Maria, you're not having trouble sleeping because of what happened at the dueling club are you?" Oliver eased into the chair next to her.  
  
Maria looked down and sighed, nodding her head slightly.  
  
"Maria, you don't think that…" Oliver leaned on the window seat, watching her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, I mean, that Harry is Slytherin's heir. You don't think that he is do you?"  
  
"I… I don't know."  
  
"It's Harry Maria. Harry Potter."  
  
"I know Oliver, but… he's a parselmouth."  
  
"You're going to be okay Maria. Nothing's going to happen to you. You're safe."  
  
Maria looked up at him, surprised at the concern in his eyes and voice, "That's easy enough for you to say. You're a pureblood."  
  
Oliver sighed and looked at the journal in her hands, "What's that?"  
  
Maria picked up the journal and tucked it under the quilt in her lap. "My journal."  
  
"Oh," Oliver watched curiously, "Will you be okay down here by yourself?"  
  
Maria shrugged, "I feel as safe here as anywhere else, which really isn't saying a whole lot."  
  
Oliver sighed, "It will be okay Maria."  
  
Maria nodded, "I suppose."  
  
"Meet me in the library tomorrow as usual?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Get some rest."  
  
"Goodnight Oliver."  
  
Oliver stopped at the base of the stairs and turned, "Good night Maria."  
  
Maria watched him start up the stairs and pulled out her journal to finish writing what she'd started. Oliver stopped again at the top of the stairs and watched her with fascination. He felt genuine concern and worry about her and wished he could ease her worries. He sighed and headed back to his dorm room.  
  
~~  
  
"You okay?" Draco asked Hermione as she stared into the fire.  
  
Hermione looked at him. "Yeah," she said. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"Well with finding out Potter's a parselmouth," Draco said.  
  
Hermione sighed. "There has to be a logical reason," she said. "Harry wouldn't do this." Draco looked away. "You don't believe me."  
  
Draco looked at her. "It's not that," he said. "But… he's not exactly my favorite person, and it's odd that he can speak snake, just like Salazaar Slytherin."  
  
"Trust me, please," Hermione said. "Harry is not the one behind all of this."  
  
~~  
  
Harry fidgeted in front of the fire in the common room. Professor Sprout had canceled the last class of Herbology because of the blizzard raging outside the castle. She wanted to fit the mandrakes with scarves and socks and would trust the operation to no one but herself. It was important that the Mandrakes grew quickly so that Colin and Mrs. Norris could be revived.  
  
Hermione looked up from the game of wizard chess she and Ron were playing as one of Ron's bishops wrestled her knight off his horse and dragged him off the board. "Harry, if it bother's you that much and it's so important to you, then go find Justin and talk to him."  
  
Harry nodded and got up and started to look for him. Finally Harry decided that maybe Justin was trying to catch up on some work during his free time and he headed for the library. He walked in and saw a group of Hufflepuffs sitting at the back of the library, but they didn't seem to be working. They were absorbed in their conversation. He couldn't tell if Justin was with them so he headed towards them. He stopped to listen as part of their conversation floated to their ears.  
  
"So I told Justin to hide in our dormitory. I mean, if Potter's marked him as the next victim then he needs to keep a low profile for a while. Justin's been waiting for this to happen ever since he slipped to Potter that he was Muggle born. Justin actually told him that he'd been down for Eton. Not exactly the sort of thing you bandy about with Slytherin's heir on the loose."  
  
"You really think it's Potter then Ernie?" A blonde haired girl asked anxiously.  
  
"Hannah, he's a Parselmouth. That's the mark of a Dark Wizard. We all know that. I mean, have you ever heard of a decent one who could talk to snakes? Slytherin was known as Serpent-tongue."  
  
There was a lot of murmuring as Ernie continued. "Remember what was on the wall? Enemies of the heir, Beware. Potter had a run in with Filch and next thing Filch's cat is attacked. Creevey was annoying Potter at the Quidditch match taking pictures of him while he was in the mud and what happens next? Creevey's attacked."  
  
"He seemed so nice." Hannah said uncertainly, "And he did make You Know Who disappear. He can't be all bad?"  
  
Ernie lowered his voice and the Hufflepuffs bent closer. Harry edged nearer so he could hear Ernie.  
  
"No one knows how he survived that attack. He was only a baby and should have been killed. Only a really powerful Dark Wizard could have survived that curse." His voice dropped until it was barely more than a whisper, "That's probably why You Know Who was after him in the first place. Didn't want the competition. Who knows what else Potter is hiding?"  
  
Harry stepped out and cleared his throat. HE couldn't take any more of this. If he weren't so angry the sight of the Hufflepuffs' faces draining of all color would have struck him as humorous. "Hello. I'm looking for Justin Finch-Fletchley."  
  
From their faces, the Hufflepuffs worst fears had been confirmed.  
  
Ernie watched, "What do you want with Justin?"  
  
"I want to tell him what really happened at the Dueling Club."  
  
"We all saw what happened. We were all there." Ernie bit his lips.  
  
"Then you noticed the snake backed off after I spoke to it."  
  
"All I saw," Ernie said, "Was you chasing the snake towards Justin as you spoke Parseltongue to it."  
  
"I didn't chase it at Justin! It never even touched him!" Harry's voice quivered with anger.  
  
"It was a near miss. And in case you're getting ideas, you can trace my family back through nine generations. My blood's as pure as anyone's…"  
  
"I don't care about you blood!" Harry said, "Why would I want to attack Muggle borns?"  
  
"You hate those Muggles you live with, or so I've heard."  
  
"It's not possible to live with the Dursley's and not hate them. I'd like to see you do it." Harry turned on his heel and moved to storm out of the library.  
  
Autumn watched as Harry walked away from the group of Hufflepuffs with his fists clenched. She walked around the corner of the row of books she'd seen him go down. "Harry?"  
  
Harry turned and the anger on his face seemed to soften a bit. "Autumn, hi."  
  
Autumn smiled and walked over to him, "Are you okay?"  
  
Harry sighed, "I'll be okay once everyone stops calling me Slytherin's heir."  
  
"I don't believe them. I know you're not Slytherin's heir."  
  
Harry watched. His first thought was if she knew about her brother and whether or not he was Slytherin's heir. He opened his mouth and then stopped, realizing that he couldn't ask her that without making her upset. Instead, he just mumbled, "Thanks."  
  
Autumn watched. "You can't let it get to you Harry. You know the truth."  
  
Harry sighed, "It's not that simple Autumn."  
  
Autumn hugged her books to her chest and looked down, "Right."  
  
Harry watched her, "Um, well… anyway."  
  
Autumn looked up at him, "Good luck Harry."  
  
Harry nodded watching as she turned and walked away. A voice inside his head berated him for sticking his foot in his mouth. He sighed, realizing it was getting close to time for his next class and he still needed his books. With a sigh he hurried out of the library.  
  
~~  
  
Harry wandered the corridor, not noticing where he was going, still furious. He fell backwards as he walked into something very large and solid. "Oh, hello Hagrid." Harry looked up.  
  
"All righ', Harry?" He asked, pulling off his balaclava so he could speak. "Why aren't yeh in class?"  
  
"Cancelled. What are you doing here Hagrid?" Harry asked as he got up.  
  
Hagrid held up the rooster that he was carrying. "Second one I've found dead this term. It's either foxes or a Blood-Suckin' Bugbear. I need the Headmaster's permission ter put a charm around the hen coop." Hagrid took a closer look at Harry, "Yeh sure yeh're all righ'? Yeh look all hot an' bothered…"  
  
Harry sighed, not able to repeat what he'd heard in the library. "It's nothing Hagrid. I've got to go. I have Transfiguration next and my books are in my room." Harry headed off, his ears still ringing with Ernie's words.  
  
Harry turned into a corridor that was darker than normal due to the torches having been extinguished. A cold draft blew through a loose windowpane. He had made it halfway down the corridor when he tripped over something lying on the floor. He turned and his stomach flipped as he realized what it was. Justin Finch-Fletchley laid on the floor, rigid and cold, a frozen look of shock on his face, his eyes staring blankly. Next to him was the strangest sight Harry had ever seen.  
  
Nearly Headless Nick lay floating, immobile and horizontal, six inches off the floor. Instead of his normal pearly white transparent state, he was black and smoky. His head hung half off his neck and his face was frozen in shock.  
  
Harry got to his feet, his breathing fast and his heart pounding in his chest. He looked around and saw a line of spiders scurrying away from the bodies. The only sounds were the muffled voices of teachers on either side of the corridor. He could run and no one would know he'd been there. Still he couldn't just leave them lying there, he had to get help. Would anyone believe he'd not done this?  
  
Suddenly a door next to Harry opened with a bang and Peeves the Poltergeist shot out. "Why it's potty wee Potter!" Peeves cackled knocking Harry's glasses askew. "What's Potter up to? Why's Potter lurking…"  
  
Peeves stopped halfway through a somersault. He spotted the two frozen figures as he hung upside down in the air. Before Harry could stop him Peeves righted himself and screamed, "ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTAAAACK!"  
  
The doors leading into the corridor flew open with loud crashing sounds as people flooded out. Justin was in danger of being squashed from the confusion and people kept standing in Nearly Headless Nick. Harry was pinned against the wall as teachers tried to sort through the confusion. Professor McGonagall came running out and set off a loud bang with her wand. She cleared the halls, sending everyone to their classes. Once the scene had cleared, Ernie ran into the hall, "Caught in the act!" He yelled.  
  
"That will do, Macmillan!" Professor McGonagall said sharply.  
  
Peeves grinned surveying the scene. It was one of his favorites, chaos. Peeves broke into song as the teachers examined Justin and Nearly Headless Nick, "Oh, Potter, you rotter, oh, what have you done, You're killing off students, you think it's good fun…"  
  
"Enough Peeves!" Professor McGonagall shouted at him. Peeves zoomed away sticking his tongue out at Harry.  
  
Once Professor Flitwick and Professor Sinistra had taken Justin to the hospital wing they turned to Nearly Headless Nick. No one was sure what to do with him. Finally Professor McGonagall gave Ernie a large fan and told him to waft Nearly Headless Nick up the stairs. Once every one was gone, Professor McGonagall turned to Harry. "This way Potter."  
  
"Professor, I swear I didn't…"  
  
"This is out of my hands Potter." Professor McGonagall said as she led him around a corner and stopped before a large stone gargoyle.  
  
"Lemon drop!" As she spoke the gargoyle split in two and a staircase rose, moving smoothly upwards. Harry followed Professor McGonagall up until they stopped at an oak door with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin. Harry felt his heart stop. He knew where he was. This was where Dumbledore lived.  
  
Professor McGonagall knocked on the door and it opened silently. Professor McGonagall told Harry to wait and she left him.  
  
Harry looked around studying the room. He moved over to a shelf that behind Dumbledore's desk and to the old tattered hat that he knew so well. It was the Sorting Hat. Harry looked and wondered what would happen if he tried it on again. He looked around and decided to go for it. He had to know if he was in the right house. He set it on his head and it slipped over his eyes, still too big for him. "Bee in your bonnet, Harry Potter?"  
  
"Um, yeah." Harry muttered. "Sorry to, um… bother you. I wanted to ask…"  
  
"If I put you in the right house. You were a difficult one, but I stand by what I said."  
  
Harry felt his heart leap. "You would have done well in Slytherin."  
  
Harry's stomach dropped. He grabbed the hat and yanked it off. He shoved it on the shelf and muttered, "You're wrong." He backed away feeling sick and turned as he heard a strange gagging noise.  
  
Harry stared at a decrepit looking bird that looked like a half plucked turkey sitting on a golden perch behind the door. The bird looked extremely ill to Harry. Its eyes were dull and it was losing its tail feathers. Harry thought that all he needed was Dumbledore's pet bird to die while he was alone with it when the bird suddenly burst into flames. Harry yelled in shock and backed up looking for a glass of water. The bird was a fireball. It gave one last loud shriek and then it was a pile of ash on the floor.  
  
Harry looked up as Dumbledore walked in. "Professor. Your bird… I couldn't do anything… he just… caught fire."  
  
Dumbledore smiled, "About time. He's been looking dreadful for days. I've been telling him to get a move on."  
  
He chuckled at Harry's stunned expression. "Fawkes is a phoenix. Phoenixes burst into flame when they die and then are reborn from the ashes Harry. Watch."  
  
Harry looked over at the pile of ashes and saw a tiny newborn bird stick its head out.  
  
"Too bad you saw him on a Burning Day. Normally he's quite handsome with red and gold plumage. They are fascinating creatures. They can carry immensely heavy loads, they're highly faithful and their tears have healing qualities."  
  
With the shock of Fawkes igniting, Harry had forgotten why he was there until Dumbledore sat down and stared at Harry with his penetrating glare. Before Dumbledore could speak, the office door flew open and Hagrid burst in. "It wasn' Harry!" Hagrid said, "I was talkin' ter him seconds before they found that boy. He didn' have time sir."  
  
Dumbledore tried to speak, but Hagrid was ranging. "Hagrid… I…"  
  
"Yeh've got the wrong boy sir. I know Harry never…"  
  
"Hagrid! I do not think Harry attacked those people."  
  
"Oh." Hagrid said, dropping his rooster to his side. "Right. I'll just… wait outside then."  
  
Harry watched Hagrid leave. "You don't think it was me?"  
  
"No, I don't Harry. I still want to talk to you though." Dumbledore watched him somberly. "I need to ask Harry, is there anything you'd like to tell me? Anything at all?"  
  
Harry thought of everything: the voices he'd heard, Draco shouting, "You'll be next Mudbloods!" the Polyjuice potion, what everyone was saying about him. Harry looked at Dumbledore, "No, there isn't anything."  
  
~~  
  
Autumn sat on her bed, her knees pulled up to her chest as she worked on her potions homework. She looked up as Draco walked in, "Hi."  
  
"Hi." Autumn watched as Draco came over and sat on the edge of the bed.  
  
"Do you understand now?"  
  
"Do I understand what?" Autumn put her book down.  
  
"About Harry?"  
  
"What about Harry Draco?"  
  
"They're saying he attacked Justin Finch Fletchley."  
  
Autumn sighed leaning back, "The Hufflepuffs are saying that, but Harry was just the first to find Justin."  
  
"They took him to Dumbledore's office."  
  
"I know." Autumn looked at her fingers. "They've not expelled him though."  
  
Draco looked at her, frowning, "You like him don't you?"  
  
Autumn looked at Draco, "Excuse me?"  
  
"You like him Autumn."  
  
"He's polite and has always been nice to me."  
  
"Stay away from him Autumn, he's trouble."  
  
Autumn watched Draco. This was one thing she didn't think she could do. She shook her head, "You're just saying that because of the rumors. You don't know that any of it is true."  
  
"Even if he isn't the heir of Slytherin and he's not attacking students, he's still trouble Autumn, particularly for you. Think about father and what he would do if he knew you wanted to be friends with a Gryffindor, much less Harry Potter."  
  
Autumn watched him. "It isn't fair Draco."  
  
"I'm sorry Autumn. Promise me you'll stay away from him."  
  
"I can't. I believe he's innocent and I will stay his friend. Father will never know, unless…" Autumn looked up at him with big eyes.  
  
"I would never do that to you Autumn."  
  
"I know. Why Draco?"  
  
"Why what?"  
  
"Why do you hate him so much?"  
  
Draco sighed. "I can't explain it. You don't know him like I do."  
  
"You're wrong about him."  
  
"Maybe, but I worry about you." Draco pushed her hair back from her cheek. "And, I don't think you should spend too much, if any time with him."  
  
Autumn watched her brother. "I have to go. I'm meeting Terrence for some Quidditch training."  
  
Draco nodded, "See you later then."  
  
Autumn watched as he left. It was a rare occasion that she disagreed with her brother, but she felt strongly this time and truly believed that her brother was very wrong. 


	5. Chapter 5- Second Year- Part 5

Draco walked into the room he was sharing with Hermione now on a regular basis. She was curled in a tight ball on the sofa. She was trembling. "Hey, you okay?" he asked her walking over.  
  
Hermione looked at him. "Now I'm scared," she said. "Whatever is doing this petrified a ghost. A ghost Draco."  
  
Draco sat down beside her and took her hand. "Everything'll be okay," he said. "You said so yourself."  
  
Hermione looked at him. "I'm not so sure anymore," she whispered. Draco slid his arm around her and hugged her.  
  
~~  
  
Oliver laughed at Fred and George as they joked with Percy about the rumors about Harry. He stopped when he was Maria quickly back up and hide in the shadows when Harry got near. As Fred and George started to talk about what Harry's next attack would be, he watched Maria pale and move quickly away. Oliver sighed and went to get ready for practice.  
  
Oliver grinned. Practice had gone better than expected, especially since the chamber of secrets had everyone shaken up. He watched Fred and George land and start teasing Harry again. "Fred, George, can I have a word with you?"  
  
Fred grinned. "Sure Oliver."  
  
George walked over and learned on his broomstick, "What's up?"  
  
"I think you two should ease up with the heir of Slytherin jokes."  
  
Fred looked at George and raised his eyebrows, "Really?"  
  
George shrugged and then frowned, "How come Oliver?"  
  
"Well, it's Maria."  
  
"Maria? What about her?" The twins responded.  
  
"She's already upset and well, frankly she's scared to death of Harry as is, and well, your jokes are making it worse."  
  
Fred sighed, "Bloody hell. Does she really believe all those stupid rumors?"  
  
Oliver shrugged, "I don't thinks he wants to, but she's afraid."  
  
"Alright. We'll ease up. She is our cousin." George said. He looked up at Oliver with mischief in his eyes, "Didn't know you cared about her Oliver."  
  
"She's my tutor. I rely on her so I can keep playing Quidditch." Oliver mumbled defensively looking down at his feet.  
  
Fred looked, "Uh huh. You sure about that?"  
  
Oliver looked, "Yeah. I'm sure."  
  
"Well then Oli. See ya in the showers." The two brothers headed off leaving Oliver bewildered.  
  
Oliver watched them go and then bent down to finish picking up the equipment. His mind wandered as he tried to get ready for his tutoring session.  
  
~~  
  
  
  
Terrence grinned as he walked with Autumn back to the castle. "You're really getting good. You're gonna be a great asset for Slytherin's team next year."  
  
Autumn blushed, "Thanks Terrence."  
  
"So how are things going? What do you think of all the rumors about Harry?"  
  
"I don't believe them. Any of them."  
  
Terrence grinned, "Harry's lucky."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"He's got some really loyal friends, including you."  
  
Autumn grinned, "I'm luckier."  
  
"How do ya figure?"  
  
"Well, Harry's my friend, overlooking the fact that I'm a Slytherin, and that my brother can be such a complete pratt."  
  
Terrence laughed, "Yeah. He's a decent guy. I guess that's why I just can't figure out why so many people actually believe the rumors."  
  
Terrence, do you like Ginny?"  
  
"Ginny?"  
  
"Ginny Weasley. Do you like her?"  
  
Terrence stopped and looked at her, "Um… well… I… um, yeah." His voice getting softer as he spoke.  
  
"I thought so. Why don't you talk to her then? I'm sure she could use a friend."  
  
Terrence shrugged, "Her brothers wouldn't like it. They've probably already imbedded in her that all Slytherins are rotten to the core. She probably wouldn't even give me the time of day."  
  
"You won't ever know if you don't try Terrence."  
  
"I just don't think it'll work Autumn." Terrence sighed, "Besides, she's been really jumpy lately."  
  
"I noticed that. I think it has to do with the chamber of secrets."  
  
Terrence nodded, "Guess it's a problem for all of us, pureblood or not."  
  
"Especially for us being Slytherins. Everyone thinks its one of us."  
  
"I can understand that though."  
  
"Talk to her Terrence." Autumn stopped at the girl's locker room.  
  
"I'll think about it. Good luck with Harry and everything."  
  
"Thanks. See ya tomorrow."  
  
Terrence nodded, walking away and thinking about what she'd said about Ginny.  
  
~~  
  
Morgana lay back as Ron helped her to stretch before their last practice before the holidays. "So, is he?"  
  
Ron stared at her, "Is who what?"  
  
"Is Harry Potter the heir of Slytherin?"  
  
Ron dropped her foot, "What?"  
  
"Well? Is he?" Morgana sat up  
  
"No. He's not."  
  
Morgana stood up, "Are you sure?"  
  
"You bloody well better believe I'm sure. He's my best friend."  
  
Morgana nodded, "Right."  
  
"What does that mean?" Ron frowned at her.  
  
"You're his best friend, but you didn't know he was a parselmouth until the other night."  
  
"So?" Ron looked at her frowning.  
  
"Well, why didn't he tell you about that?" Morgana crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
"He didn't know he was one. He didn't even know what one was or what it meant."  
  
Morgana rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right."  
  
Ron felt his anger rising. She always seemed to know how to get to him. "Now look here!" Before he could go on, Alissa blew her whistle calling them into a group in the Great Hall. Dumbledore had set up magical mats for them to allow them to practice.  
  
Morgana smirked and turned her attention to the twins and practice. Ron followed her, setting as he did, angry that he'd not been able to finish what he wanted to say, angry that he let her get to him.  
  
"Listen up everyone," Alissa said, holding a piece of parchment in her hand. "I have some good news and some bad news."  
  
"What's the bad news?" a fourth year Ravenclaw girl asked. Her partner, a fifth year Hufflepuff boy sat beside her.  
  
"The teachers decided we won't be cheering for the Quidditch team anymore. No one can see us cause of the stands being so high in the air, and platforms would be too dangerous, not to mention the possibility of getting hit by a player or bludger," Alissa said.  
  
"So what's the good news?" Ron asked.  
  
"Well that's each person's opinion," Marissa said. "We can still practice and see if there are any competitions in the muggle world or just do things like recitals for the rest of the school."  
  
The team began to murmur amongst themselves when Goyle raised his hand. "Yes Greg?" Alissa asked.  
  
Goyle stood. Hermione watched her partner with a raised eyebrow. "I may sound like a wimp for saying this, but I wanna keep doing this," he said. "The only school sport we have is Quidditch and there's only seven to a team. Weasley or some o the other guys or girls could make the house teams, but I know I never will. I'd probably make a decent beater, but I'm not that good on a broom. This gave me something to do and strive for other than classes everyday. Also helped to keep from getting bored when there was nothing to do in the common room." He sat back down.  
  
Hermione smiled at him. It was the most she had ever heard him say to anyone else but her, and it showed everyone that he wasn't as stupid as everyone said he was. "I agree with Greg," she said. "I'm terrified of flying so I'd never try for Quidditch let along make it. Besides, I took dance as a little girl before I started here, and this is close enough to it. I missed dancing till this year."  
  
"How does everyone else feel?" Alissa asked looking around. Murmurs got louder with people agreeing that they wanted to keep practicing as a group. Marissa grinned and looked at her sister. Alissa nodded. "Then let's get to work," she said.  
  
~~  
  
Because of the double attack, everyone rushed to get on the train to go home for the holidays. "At this rate we'll be the only one's left. Us, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. What a jolly holiday it'll be." Ron told Harry and Hermione.  
  
Harry was glad most people were leaving. He was tired of people jumping out of his way and avoiding him in the halls as if he'd sprout fangs. He was tired of all the muttering, pointing and hissing as he walked past.  
  
Fred and George found it all very funny. They would walk ahead of Harry shouting, "Make way for the Heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through…"  
  
Percy was not pleased with their behavior. "It is not a laughing matter."  
  
"Oh get out of our way Percy. Harry's in a hurry." Said Fred.  
  
"Yeah, he's off to the Chamber for a cup of tea with his fanged servant." George chuckled.  
  
Ginny wasn't pleased with it either, "Oh don't." She would cry out as Fred asked Harry who he was going to attack next or George pretended to ward Harry off with garlic cloves.  
  
Alissa and Marissa frowned disapprovingly on their behavior. While they enjoyed a joke as much as the next person, they could see the affect it was having on Ginny and Maria.  
  
Harry felt better with all of Fred and George's antics. At least someone found it ludicrous that he was Slytherin's heir. Plus they seemed to annoy Draco.  
  
"It's because he wants to tell everyone it's really him." Ron said knowingly, "You know how he hates being beaten at anything and you're getting the credit for his dirty work."  
  
"Not for long. The Polyjuice potion is nearly ready. Soon we'll get the truth out of him." Hermione said.  
  
~~  
  
Oliver looked around as Angelina chatted about something that he was only vaguely listening to. He was waiting for the Hogwart's Express to leave for the holidays. He glanced over and smiled seeing Maria standing alone in a violet traveling cape, her bag on the ground in front of her. Oliver muttered, "Excuse me." He then moved towards Maria.  
  
Angelina stopped midscentence watching as he walked over to Maria. Her eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms over her chest as she watched them.  
  
"Hi Maria."  
  
Maria looked up, "Hello Oliver."  
  
Oliver pulled a wrapped package from his coat pocket. "Happy Christmas."  
  
Maria looked, "For me?"  
  
"Yeah. I wanted to get you something for helping me with my studies."  
  
Maria took the package, "You didn't have to."  
  
"I wanted to." Oliver smiled at her. "Go ahead and open it."  
  
Maria did and pulled out a gilded blue leather journal.  
  
"I noticed your journal was nearly full the other night. This one has a privacy feature too. You'll be the only one who can open it."  
  
Maria blushed, as she ran her hands over the front of it. "I…I… hold this."  
  
Oliver took the journal and watched as Maria reached inside her bag and rummaged around. She stood up with a scarlet and gold package in her hands. "I… I was going to have it delivered after we got home. Happy Christmas."  
  
Oliver took it, "Thanks." He slowly started to ease the paper off of it revealing a book. "101 Best Quidditch Strategies of the Century." Oliver grinned reading the title. "Cool."  
  
Maria smiled, "It has a space in the back to take notes and write down your ideas too."  
  
Oliver grinned, "Thanks."  
  
Maria nodded and looked as the whistle of the train blew telling them it was time to board. "Well, I'll see you when we get back."  
  
"Sit with us on the train." Oliver caught her hand. Maria looked at their hands and then at Angelina standing defensively in the distance. "Thanks, but I don't think I'm wanted there by everyone."  
  
Oliver looked at her with confusion as she boarded the train. He watched her and then turned and saw Angelina. With a sudden spark of understanding he sighed and walked over to Angelina.  
  
"What was that about?" Angelina asked him impatiently.  
  
"I wanted to wish her a happy Christmas." Oliver followed her onto the train.  
  
"Did you actually get her a present?"  
  
"Yeah. She's been really great helping me out."  
  
"Really Oliver, you're impossible." Angelina sat down in the train compartment with a pout.  
  
"What did I do?" Oliver rolled his eyes as he sat.  
  
"Anyone else would think you liked her?"  
  
Oliver didn't answer. He just turned his head and looked out the window at the swirling snow as the train left Hogwarts.  
  
~~  
  
"Wake up!" Hermione said loudly as she pulled back the curtains in the window of the boys' dormitory.  
  
Ron sat up sleepily, hiding his eyes from the bright light. "Hermione… you're not supposed to be in her."  
  
"Happy Christmas to you too." Hermione tossed him a present. "I was adding more lacewings to the potion. It's ready."  
  
Harry looked at her, suddenly wide-awake. "You're positive?"  
  
Hermione nodded her head as she moved Scabbers so she could sit on the end of Ron's bed. "If we're going to do this, I think it should be tonight."  
  
Harry looked at Ron and then they both looked at Hermione and nodded.  
  
~~  
  
Draco pushed open the door to the girl's dorm room. His sister was the only one who had stayed for the holiday. He walked over and gently shook her, "Autumn."  
  
Autumn stirred, turning over and letting her eyes drift open, "Draco?"  
  
Draco smiled, "Happy Christmas."  
  
Autumn sat up and stretched, "Happy Christmas."  
  
Draco took her hand, "Come on. Let's open our presents."  
  
Autumn nodded and headed downstairs. She was thrilled that they had been able to stay at Hogwarts for the holiday. Everything was decorated so beautifully. She smiled as she went downstairs with Draco. The tree glittered softly next to the warm, cackling fire. She sat down on the soft bear rug and grinned. Draco handed her a gift. "It's from our parents."  
  
Autumn nodded, opening it and pulling out a new pale green heavy winter cloak. Draco smiled, "I got one too." He pointed to a dark red cloak draped over the chair.  
  
"Here." Draco handed her a small box. "Happy Christmas."  
  
Autumn smiled opening the small box. "Draco, its beautiful."  
  
Draco grinned, "You like it then? I plan on getting you a charm to add to it for each year you're at Hogwarts."  
  
Autumn eased the silver bracelet onto her wrist. The small silver snake's eyes glittered green in the firelight. "It's perfect. Thank you. Now, here." Autumn handed Draco a square box wrapped in silver and blue. "Happy Christmas Draco."  
  
Draco smiled and opened the box. The small silver bowl sat before him. "A memory catcher."  
  
Autumn smiled, "Its like father's, just not as large. I thought it was a good size for your Hogwarts memories though."  
  
Draco smiled, "It's perfect. Come on. Let's get dressed and get breakfast."  
  
Autumn nodded standing up and hugging him. "Meet you back here in fifteen minutes."  
  
~~  
  
Hermione smiled at Draco as they met at the entrance to the room they shared. "Happy Christmas, Draco," she said.  
  
"Happy Christmas, Hermione," Draco returned. They stepped into the room together.  
  
"Here," Hermione said, handing him a gift.  
  
Draco frowned. "I didn't get you anything," he said glumly.  
  
Hermione shrugged non-chalantly. "It's okay," she said. "I saw it and thought of you."  
  
Draco opened it to reveal a cloak clasp that was silver. Two snakes intertwined, their eyes glittering emeralds. It was very appropriate for Draco. "It's beautiful," he said. "Thank you."  
  
Hermione smiled. "I'm glad you like it," she said.  
  
~~  
  
Alissa grinned at George when she saw him walking down the hall. "George! Wait!"  
  
George turned around and grinned, "Alissa, hey. Where's your partner in crime?"  
  
"Oh, here and there. And yours?"  
  
"The same. What's that?"  
  
"Just a little something for you. It's a Christmas present."  
  
"You… you got me a Christmas present?" George looked at her. "I… I didn't think you'd…."  
  
  
  
"Just open it."  
  
George looked at her, but nodded and opened it. He pulled the dark red ribbon and as he did a load explosion sounded filling the hallway with smoke. Alissa giggled as George stood there a little toy Quidditch broom in his hand. "That's all?"  
  
"What? Were you expecting a real one?" Alissa teased, giggling. What George didn't know was that his hair was no longer its natural red, but rainbow striped. By now, Fred's should be about the same.  
  
George raised an eyebrow and looked at her suspiciously.  
  
"Well, I've got to run. I'm meeting Alissa before dinner."  
  
George tried to say something but Alissa ran off before he could say anything else.  
  
~~  
  
Morgana knocked on Snape's door and waited.  
  
Snape walked over and opened the door. "Morgana, come in."  
  
"Happy Christmas." He leaned down and kissed her forehead.  
  
Snape smiled, "Happy Christmas." He leaned down and kissed her forehead.  
  
Morgana smiled and walked over by the fire and sat down, "You are going to the feast?"  
  
"Of course, but first," Snape reached into a desk drawer and pulled out a small box.  
  
Morgana took the box and smiled. "Thank you."  
  
Snape sat down next to her and watched as she opened the box. She pulled out a silver chain upon which an amethyst moon hung. "It's beautiful."  
  
Snape smiled, "It was my mother's. I felt you should have it."  
  
"Thank you." Morgana hugged him tightly then kissed his cheek.  
  
Snape ran his fingers through her hair. Morgana smiled up at him, "Here." Morgana pulled out a flat package. Snape opened the box and pulled out a new copy of Unusual and Dangerous Potions. "I noticed your copy was really worn so I thought you could use a new one."  
  
Snape smiled, "Thanks."  
  
"Shall we go down to the feast?"  
  
Snape nodded and stood up, reaching his hand out and helping her up. He smiled at the amethyst orb that shimmered at her neck. He had been uncertain of their relationship, but more and more he felt himself growing more comfortable in it.  
  
~~  
  
Fred walked down to the dining room confused by the giggles and stares that he kept getting as he passed people in the hall. He still didn't quite understand the present that Marissa had presented him with. The package she'd given him had exploded as he pulled the bow and left him with ringing in his ears and a little miniature bludger in his hand. He wondered where his brother was and figured he'd run into him on the way to dinner. He looked up as he heard approaching footsteps and his mouth dropped, "George?"  
  
George looked up and his eyes went as wide as saucers. "Blimey Fred, what happened to your hair?"  
  
"What do you mean my hair? Have you looked at yours lately?"  
  
George ran a hand to his forehead and realization dawned on him. "Oh, I'm going to kill her."  
  
"You don't think?"  
  
"Exploding present from Marissa?"  
  
"Yeah, and you got one from Alissa?"  
  
"Yup." George laughed as he looked at Fred's head, "Well I guess they got us that time."  
  
"Well, we have some planning to do then."  
  
"You know Fred," George said opening the door to the dining hall, "You don't look too bad with your hair that color."  
  
George studied his brother and grinned, "I think I can say the same for you."  
  
The two of them laughed as they walked into the great hall and moved to their chairs.  
  
"Hello boys."  
  
George looked, "So how did you two do it?"  
  
"Do what?" Marissa grinned at them.  
  
"This." Fred said pointing to their hair.  
  
"Oh, our little secret. We told you not to start prank wars with us." Alissa grinned at him. "It looks kind of cute on you."  
  
George shook his head. "So does it wear off, wash out, what?"  
  
"Um… actually…" Marissa looked at Alissa.  
  
"We're not sure. We never tried it before. So um…"  
  
"Once you find out, let us know." Marissa grinned at her sister.  
  
Fred groaned as George shook his head. The two of them made a silent pledge with each other that they'd have their revenge.  
  
~~  
  
Once everyone had settled down after Fred and George's colorful appearance Dumbledore made the announcement for the start of dinner.  
  
Harry and Ron ate heartily watching Hagrid get louder as he consumed more egg nog and Fred and George taunt Percy who was oblivious to the fact that his prefect badge had been bewitched to read "Pinhead". Before they'd finished their third helpings of Christmas pudding, Hermione ushered them out of the hall. Their plans for the Polyjuice potion still had to be finalized.  
  
"You still need to get a bit of the people you're changing into." She looked at them as she pointed this fact out as if it were like going to the market. "And well, since Crabbe and Goyle are Malfoy's friends and he'll tell them anything, you should probably try to get something from them. However, we also need to make sure they don't show up when we're questioning him."  
  
Harry stared at Ron kind of stunned. Hermione ignored them as she continued. "I've got it all planned." She handed them two plump chocolate cakes. "These were filled with a simple Sleeping Draught. You two just need to make sure that Crabbe and Goyle find them. They're bound to eat them, you know how they are. Once they've fallen asleep, pull out some of their hair and hide them in a closet."  
  
Ron looked at Harry as if Hermione had lost her mind. They looked back at her. "Hermione, I don't think…"  
  
"Something could go seriously wrong…"  
  
Hermione stared at them with the same steely glint in her eye that Professor McGonagall sometimes got. "The potion is useless without Crabbe and Goyle's hair. You do want to question Malfoy, don't you?"  
  
Harry sighed, "All right. What are you going to do? Whose hair are you going to get?"  
  
"I've got mine." Hermione grinned, pulling a small bottle from her pocket that contained a single hair. "When I was wrestling with Millicent Bulstrode at the Dueling club she left his on my robes. She's gone home for Christmas, so I just have to tell the Slytherins I decided to come back."  
  
Ron looked at Harry as Hermione ran off to check on the potion. His face was one of acknowledgement that they were both doomed, "Have you ever heard of a plan where so many things could go wrong?"  
  
Surprisingly, the first step of the plan went smoothly. Harry and Ron left the cakes on the staircase and watched as Crabbe and Goyle came out of the Great Hall.  
  
"How thick can you get?" Ron rolled his eyes. Crabbed had seen the cakes and pointed them out to Goyle. The two of them ate the cakes quickly and as they chewed, they suddenly keened over.  
  
Harry and Ron dragged them to the closet and hid them, then removed several hairs from each. They also decided to take their shoes since theirs were too small for Crabbe and Goyle's feet. They quickly sprinted to the bathroom, still stunned by what they'd done. As they entered smoke filled their faces, nearly blinding them. Hermione was stirring the cauldron. They pulled their robes over their faces to block the smoke and moved over to her. "Hermione?"  
  
Hermione had three glass tumblers ready for them on the toilet seat. "Did you get the hair?"  
  
Harry and Ron held up their respective hairs.  
  
Hermione nodded, "Good. I got you these spare robes from the laundry. You're going to need larger ones when you transform."  
  
The potion looked like dark mud, bubbling sluggishly. "I'm sure I've done everything correctly." Hermione looked nervous as she reread the splotched page of Moste Potente Potions. "It looks like it should. Once we've taken it, we have one hour before we change back to ourselves."  
  
Ron gulped, "So… now what?"  
  
"We put it in the three glasses and add the hairs." Hermione said as she started to ladle the potion into the glasses and handed them out. Her hand shook a little as she dropped her hair into her glass. The potion hissed and then turned into a sickeningly yellow color.  
  
"Ewww… essence of Milicent Bulstrode." Ron looked at it with disgust. "I bet it tastes awful."  
  
"Add yours then." Hermione said rolling her eyes.  
  
Harry added Goyle's hair to his glass making his potion turn a khaki color while Ron's turned a dark muddy brown once he'd added Crabbe's.  
  
"Wait. We should get into separate stalls." Harry said as he stopped Ron and Hermione from drinking their potions immediately. "Once we change, we won't fit in here."  
  
Ron nodded, "Good thinking." He moved to the next stall over.  
  
Once they were all in separate stalls, Harry called out, "Ready?"  
  
"Ready." Came Ron and Hermione's voices.  
  
"On three. One… two… three…"  
  
Harry pinched his nose and drank the potion that tasted like overcooked cabbage. His insides writhed and he felt like he'd just swallowed live snakes. He doubled over feeling like he'd be sick, when a burning sensation spread throughout his body. His skin bubbled like hot wax and then he watched in shock as his hands started to grow larger. He could feel his shoulders stretching painfully as his hair crept down towards his eyebrows. His robes split as his chest expanded and his feet ached in shoes that were now to small for his feet.  
  
Harry slowly pushed himself off the cold stone floor once it had stopped. He could hear Myrtle gurgling in the end toilet. Harry struggled to remove his shoes and moved a bit. He tried to get used to feeling like Goyle as he put on the new robes and Goyle's shoes. He removed his glasses that clouded his eyes. As Goyle he didn't need them. "Are you two okay?" The low rasp of Goyle's voice surprised him a bit.  
  
Crabbe's voice responded in a deep grunt, "Yeah."  
  
Harry stepped out of the stall in front of a mirror. He stared at Goyle's reflection staring back at him. Ron's stall opened and Crabbe walked out looking pale and shocked. "Unbelievable."  
  
"We'd better go." Harry said, loosening his watch. "We still have to find the Slytherin Common room and get someone to let us in."  
  
Ron shook his head, "Seeing Goyle thinking is just too bizarre." He walked over and knocked on Hermione's door, "C'mon, let's go."  
  
A high-pitched voice responded, "I… I don't think I'm coming. You two go on without me."  
  
"Hermione, we all know Millicent Bulstrode's ugly, but no one will know it's really you."  
  
"I'm not going. You two hurry up… you're going to run out of time."  
  
Harry shrugged at Ron.  
  
"That looks more like Goyle." Ron answered. "That's the look he gets whenever a teacher asks him something."  
  
"Are you okay Hermione?" Harry asked.  
  
"I'm fine! Just go."  
  
Harry pulled his watch out and looked at it. They'd wasted five minutes of their sixty already. "We'll meet you back here."  
  
Ron and Harry hurried out and started to look for the Slytherin common room. "Any ideas?"  
  
Ron motioned to the dungeon entrance. "They come to breakfast from that door."  
  
Harry watched as a long curly haired girl emerged. They ran over. "Excuse me. We've forgotten the way to our common room." Ron told her.  
  
"Pardon me?" The girl said snobbily. "Our common room? I'm a Ravenclaw." She walked away staring at them suspiciously.  
  
Harry and Ron ran down the stairs and into the passages. They walked deeper into the labyrinths under the school checking their watches. After fifteen minutes had gone by they heard a movement.  
  
"There's one now!" Ron said excitedly. They ran to the figure, but their hearts sank as they saw Percy emerge.  
  
"What're you doing down here?" Ron said surprised.  
  
Percy looked annoyed. "That isn't any of your business… Crabbe isn't it?"  
  
"Um… right." Ron looked.  
  
"Well go on then. It's not safe to be wandering around these halls. Get on back to your dorm."  
  
"You're wandering." Ron pointed out.  
  
"I am a prefect. Nothing would attack me." Percy puffed out his chest.  
  
"There you are." A voice drawled from behind them. For the first time in Harry's life he was pleased to see Malfoy. "Have you two been in the Great Hall eating all this tie? I wanted to show you something. I've been looking for you two forever." Draco turned to face Percy. "And what are you doing here Weasley?"  
  
Percy was outraged, "You should show more respect for a school prefect! I don't like your attitude!"  
  
Draco rolled his eyes and motioned for Harry and Ron to follow him. Harry almost apologized to Percy, but stopped himself just in time. They ran after Malfoy who muttered, "That Peter Weasley…"  
  
"Percy." Ron automatically corrected him.  
  
"Whatever." Malfoy motioned in the air with his hand. "He's been sneaking around a lot lately. He's probably trying to catch Slytherin's heir single-handed." Draco laughed as Harry and Ron exchanged looks.  
  
Draco stopped by a damp stone wall. "What's the new password?"  
  
"Um…" Harry looked at Ron who just shrugged.  
  
"Oh, yeah… pureblood." Malfoy said ignoring the other two. A stone door concealed in the wall opened and Draco walked through followed by Ron and Harry.  
  
The Slytherin common room was a low underground room. The walls were made of rough stone and round greenish laps hung from the ceiling on chains. "Wait here." Draco motioned Harry and Ron to some empty chairs away from the fire. "I'll go get my surprise. Father just sent it."  
  
Harry and Ron sat down trying to look comfortable as they wondered what Draco wanted to show them. Draco came back down shortly and thrust a newspaper clipping under Ron's nose. "This'll give you a laugh."  
  
Ron's eyes went wide and he forced a loud laugh from his lips then handed the paper to Harry. Harry read the article from the Daily Prophet. It told about how Mr. Weasley had been fined because of his and Ron's stunt with the flying car. Apparently Draco's father had even gone as far as to call for Mr. Weasley's resignation.  
  
"Well?" Malfoy said impatiently. "Don't you find it amusing?"  
  
"Ha…" Harry said bleakly.  
  
Autumn walked into the common room. Seeing Crabbe and Goyle with her brother, she headed over to say hi.  
  
Draco looked as Ron read the article, "Well?"  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Hi Autumn," Harry mumbled.  
  
"Hi Goyle."  
  
Draco looked, "A Weasley's in trouble with the Ministry of Magic."  
  
Autumn sat down, "Why?"  
  
"Because of his twit of a son flying an illegal car."  
  
"That's not nice Draco." Autumn sat down.  
  
Harry grinned, elbowing Ron as he started to nod in agreement.  
  
"He raided our home Autumn."  
  
"They did? Did they find anything?"  
  
"Yes, they did, but they didn't find anything. Father has taken too many precautions to outwit them."  
  
Autumn nodded, "Anyway, I just needed to borrow a quill if you have an extra one. I lost mine and I've not gotten the new ones from father yet."  
  
Harry watched Autumn with a gun. He wished he wasn't playing a trick on her and she knew he was there, but Draco would have him and Ron expelled. He was glad she'd felt bad for Mr. Weasley though it made Harry wonder why she was in Slytherin.  
  
Autumn smiled, "Bye boys. See ya later." And with that she headed for her room.  
  
"If that Arthur Weasley loves Muggles so much he should just break his wand and go join them. You'd never know the Weasleys were pure-bloods from the way they behave."  
  
Ron's or rather Crabbe's face contorted in fury.  
  
"What's wrong with you?" Malfoy snapped at him.  
  
"Stomachache." Ron grunted.  
  
"Well, go to the hospital wing and give all those petrified Mudbloods a good kick from me." Malfoy snickered. "You know, I'm surprised that the Daily Prophet hasn't reported on the attacked. Dumbledore's probably trying to keep it quiet. He'll be fired if it doesn't stop. Father always aid that Dumbledore's the worst thing to happen to this school. He adores Muggle-borns. A real headmaster wouldn't have let slime like that Colin Creevey in."  
  
Draco started imitating Colin by taking pictures with an imaginary camera. "Potter, can I have your picture, Potter? Can I have your autograph? Can I kiss your feet, please, Potter?"  
  
He dropped his hands and stared at Harry and Ron, "What is wrong with you two?"  
  
Far too late, Harry and Ron forced laughs, but it satisfied Malfoy. Crabbe and Goyle must always be a bit slow on jokes.  
  
"Saint Potter, the Mudbloods' friend." Malfoy said slowly. "He's another one that hasn't any proper wizard feelings or he wouldn't hang around with that Granger Mudblood. And people think he's Slytherin's heir."  
  
Harry and Ron held their breaths. Surly Malfoy was second from telling them that it was him.  
  
"I wish I knew who it was. I could help them."  
  
Ron's jaw dropped making Crabbe look even more clueless. Malfoy didn't notice and Harry spoke quickly, "You must have some idea?"  
  
"How many times do I have to tell you Goyle? You know I don't know. Father won't tell me anything about the last time the Chamber was open. It was fifty years ago and before his time, but he knows all about it. HE says that it'll look too suspicious if I know anything since it was kept quiet. I do know though, that the last time the Chamber was open, a Mudblood died. So it's only a matter of time. I hope its Granger." He added. Inwardly he cringed at his words. He didn't want Hermione to die. He cared for her too much now. He often wondered how Goyle felt since he spent so much time with her too during cheerleading practices.  
  
Ron had Crabbe's hands clenched in gigantic fists. Harry shot Ron a warning look. If he punched Malfoy it would give them away. "D'you know if they caught the person who opened the Chamber last time?"  
  
"Yeah. They were expelled. Probably still in Azkaban."  
  
"Azkaban?" Harry was confused.  
  
"The wizard prison Goyle." Draco shook his head in disbelief. "Honestly, if you were any slower you'd be going backwards."  
  
Draco shifted in his char and continued. "Father wants me to keep my head down and let the Heir of Slytherin get on with it. He says the school needs to be rid of all the Mudblood filth, but doesn't want me to get mixed up in it. He's got his hands full especially since the Ministry of Magic raided our home."  
  
"But you said they didn't find anything."  
  
"Yeah, Father's got some very valuable Dark Arts stuff, but he'd hidden it in our secret chamber under the drawing-room floor…"  
  
"Ho!" said Ron.  
  
Draco looked at him as did Harry. Ron blushed along with his hair. His nose also seemed to be growing. Harry's eyes went wide as he looked at Ron's look of horror. They were both changing back. They jumped to their feet.  
  
"Medicine… for my stomach." Ron grunted as they ran out of the common room and up the passage hoping Malfoy hadn't notice. It was a difficult sprint as their feet kept slipping around in the shoes that were now too big for them. They ran into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom and slid to a halt, panting.  
  
"Well it wasn't a complete waste. I know we don't know any more about who's responsible for the attacks, but I'm writing Dad tomorrow and telling him about the secret chamber under the Malfoys' drawing room."  
  
Harry checked himself in the mirror sliding his glasses back on. "Hermione, come out. We've loads to tell you."  
  
"Go away!" A high pitched voice squeaked."  
  
Ron looked at Harry. "What's wrong? You should be back to normal, we are."  
  
Moaning Myrtle glided through the stall door looking entirely too happy. "Ooooooh wait til you see. It's awful."  
  
Hermione opened the door, sobbing, her robes over her head.  
  
"Um, what's up? Have you still go Millicent's nose or something?" Ron asked uncertainly.  
  
Hermione let her robes fall. Ron backed up out of shock. Hermione's face was covered in black fur. Her eyes were yellow and she had ears pointing out through her hair. "It… it was a c…cat hair!" She howled. "M… Millicent Bulstrode m…must have a cat! The p… potion isn't meant for animal transformations!"  
  
"Uh-oh." Ron said quietly.  
  
'You'll be teased something dreadful," Myrtle said cheerfully.  
  
"It's alright Hermione. We'll take you to Madame Pomfrey. She never asks too many questions."  
  
It took them forever to persuade Hermione to leave and go to the hospital ward. Moaning Myrtle sped them on their way, "Wait til everyone finds out you've got a tail!" She laughed.  
  
~~  
  
Harry and Ron had finally gotten Hermione to the hospital ward and had been promptly ushered out by Madame Pomfrey. Ron reached in his pocket for something and realized that the letter his mom had sent him had fallen out. He hoped it had fallen out in the bathroom.  
  
Ron looked, "Hey Harry I dropped a letter in Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom."  
  
"Be careful." Harry looked up as Ron headed out the door.  
  
Morgana passed the hall where the first attack had happened and stopped when she saw someone go into the girl's bathroom at the end of the hall. She waited outside for the person to come back out.  
  
Ron picked up the letter he'd dropped and then walked out.  
  
"Weasley."  
  
Ron's eyes got huge as he turned nervously. He relaxed when he saw Morgana. "It's just you."  
  
"What are you doing here and why are you coming out of the girl's bathroom?"  
  
"It's not any of your business."  
  
"Fine. I'll go find Snape then." Morgana rounded on her heels.  
  
"Wait!" Ron looked.  
  
Morgana grinned, "Yes?"  
  
"We had come in here earlier to talk to Moaning Myrtle and look for clues and I dropped this and needed to come back for it."  
  
Morgana leaned on the wall, crossing her arms, "Uhhuh. Clues?"  
  
"To prove Harry's innocent."  
  
"Right."  
  
"Look, please don't…"  
  
"I won't say anything Weasley. I don't know why, but I won't."  
  
Ron looked, "Um, thanks."  
  
Morgana nodded then turned and walked away.  
  
Ron watched her go with relief and then ran back to the Gryffindor tower before someone else less understanding found him.  
  
~~  
  
Autumn walked into the common room and headed over to her brother. He was sitting in the window, lost in thought. "Draco?"  
  
Draco looked up, "Hey Autumn."  
  
"What's wrong?" Autumn sat by her brother.  
  
"Nothing. Was just thinking."  
  
"Did you hear about Hermione Granger? She's in the hospital wing."  
  
"What happened?" Draco stiffened, as he turned to face his sister, a look of horror on his face. "Has anyone said?"  
  
Autumn studied her brother, confused by his reaction. "I… don't know. All I heard is that she was in the hospital wing."  
  
Draco's face paled. " We would have heard if it was another attack, wouldn't we?" He looked to her for reassurance.  
  
"Why are you so upset Draco?" Autumn finally asked.  
  
"I… I'm not upset."  
  
"Yes you are. You've not even laughed or said anything mean about the attack. That's unlike the way you've been acting. And I mean, it is Hermione. You always make fun of her."  
  
Draco sighed. He couldn't keep his secret from his sister any longer. "Autumn, Hermione and I are well… well, we're friends."  
  
Autumn looked at him and shook her head, "You're lying to me."  
  
"Why would I lie to you Autumn? Hermione and I have been friends since before the Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch game."  
  
"No." Autumn got up from where she'd sat by him. "You're… How could you Draco?"  
  
"Autumn?" Draco stood up. "What's wrong? How could I what?"  
  
"You! After everything you said about Harry! After your whole Gryffindor can't be friends with Slytherins issue! You're friends with Hermione Granger." Autumn's voice slowly rose as she became more and more upset at the thought of what Draco had done.  
  
"It's different with Hermione and I Autumn." Draco looked around thankful that no one else was there. He reached out to try and calm her down, saddened when she pulled back from him.  
  
"No Draco. It's not different. It's the exact same thing. You're a hypocrite, a lying hypocrite."  
  
"Autumn?" Draco's voice pleaded.  
  
"Leave me alone. Don't worry about your secret, I won't tell anyone." Autumn turned away from her brother. She felt betrayed. He had tried to forbid her from even looking at Harry, yet here he was making friends with a Gryffindor who happened to be one of Harry's best friends. Autumn left and went to find some solitude.  
  
~~  
  
Maria sat between Fred and George, "Did Ron say anything?"  
  
"Not particularly," Fred looked over at her.  
  
"But he did say he was bring her homework to her," George finished.  
  
"Then it couldn't have been an attack." Maria looked hopefully up at them. "I mean he wouldn't take her homework to her if…" Maria let her words die out.  
  
"Don't know." George shrugged  
  
"Ron can get weird notions sometimes." Fred added.  
  
Maria nodded and stared at the fire.  
  
"You'll be okay Maria. No one's going to get ya." Fred looked over at George.  
  
"Yeah Maria, trust us." George watched her.  
  
Maria nodded, trying hard to believe them, but finding that she just wasn't able to. "I have to go. I'm meeting Oliver for tutoring."  
  
Fred and George stood with her. "We'll walk with you."  
  
"How is that going anyway?" George's voice took on a hint of teasing.  
  
Maria didn't notice, "Pretty well. He's improving."  
  
"And with you?" Fred grinned.  
  
Maria looked at them, "Would you two stop it? There's nothing between Oliver and I. Now come on, I'm going to be late."  
  
Fred and George nodded, "Right." They grinned mischievously at each other and then followed her out.  
  
~~  
  
Ron set Hermione's homework on the stand next to her bed. "If I had grown whiskers, I'd take break from schoolwork."  
  
"Don't be ridiculous Ron. I have to keep up." Hermione said quickly. She was in a much better mood since the hair on her face had disappeared and her eyes had started to turn brown again. "Do you have any new leads?" She asked in a whisper.  
  
Harry shook his head, "Nope."  
  
"I was so positive it was Malfoy." Ron said yet again.  
  
"Hermione? What's that?" Harry pointed to something gold that stuck out from under her pillow.  
  
"Just a get well card." Hermione said quickly, trying to poke it back under the pillow. Ron quickly grabbed it though and opened it. Her read it out loud, "To Miss Granger, wishing you a quick recovery. Your concerned teacher, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League and Five time winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award." Ron looked at Hermione with pure disgust. "You sleep with this under your pillow?"  
  
Before Hermione could answer, Madame Pomfrey came in and chased Harry and Ron out.  
  
"Who's there?" Hermione asked a few hours later.  
  
Draco peaked his head around the curtain that was hiding her. "Me," he said. He grinned and walked over, reaching up to touch one of the ears. "A cat?"  
  
Hermione blushed, though you couldn't tell under the fur. "Long story," she said. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Was worried about you," Draco said.  
  
"You look like you haven't been sleeping well," Hermione said.  
  
"Well since we've started sleeping more in our room," he said. "I sleep better. You haven't been there. Besides, Autumn and I got into a fight."  
  
"Over what?" Hermione asked, tilting her head.  
  
"You," Draco said.  
  
"Me?"  
  
Draco nodded. "I kinda told her to steer clear of Potter, then I told her we were friends and it made her mad," he said.  
  
"I don't blame her," Hermione said.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Draco think about it," Hermione said. "You are forbidding Autumn to speak with Harry, a Gryffindor. Yet you are carrying on a friendship with me, Harry's best friend, a Gryffindor. It's a bit of a double standard."  
  
"I guess you're right," Draco mumbled. He looked at his wizard watch and sighed. "I need to get back to Slytherin house before curfew. Besides, Madame Pomfrey may think I'm attacking you if she sees me here."  
  
Hermione smiled. "See you later," she said. Draco leaned forward and kissed her forehead gently, wrinkling his nose at the fur. He gave her an impish grin and headed out of the hospital wing.  
  
~~  
  
"Lockhart is such a git." Ron said to Harry as they headed to Gryffindor Tower. Ron was complaining about Snape's overload of homework when they heard an angry commotion from above them.  
  
"That's Filch." Harry murmured as they ran up the stairs, keeping out of sight.  
  
"Do you think someone else has been attacked?" Ron asked, his eyes wide.  
  
They leaned their heads towards Filch's voice and listened to his shouting.  
  
"… even more work for me! I'll be mopping all night. It isn't like I have enough to do! This is the final straw, I'm going to Dumbledore…"  
  
Harry and Ron listened as his footsteps receded into an out-of-sight corridor and they heard a door slam. They cautiously poked their heads around the corner. At once they saw what Filch had been having a fit about. A large flood of water filled half the corridor and more water seeped out from under the door of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Now that Filch wasn't shouting they could hear Myrtle's wailing.  
  
"Now what's wrong with her?" Ron said, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Come on." Harry said, moving towards the bathroom.  
  
Moaning Myrtle was crying louder than they'd ever heard. The bathroom was dark since the rush of water that had left everything soaked had extinguished the candles.  
  
"Myrtle? What's wrong?"  
  
"Who's that?" Myrtle gurgled miserably. "Come to throw something else at me?"  
  
Harry waded over to her stall. "Myrtle, why would I throw something at you?"  
  
"I don't know? I was just minding my own business and someone thought it'd be funny to throw a book at me…"  
  
"But it doesn't hurt if someone throws something at you," Harry tried to reason with her. "I mean, it would just go right through you, wouldn't it?"  
  
Immediately Harry realized he'd said the wrong thing. Myrtle shrieked indignantly at him, "Let's throw books at Myrtle because she can't feel it! Get it through her stomach and you get ten points. Fifty points if it goes through her head! Well ha, ha! What a great game, I don't think!"  
  
"Well who threw it?"  
  
"I don't know… I was just sitting, thinking about death and it fell through the top of my head," Myrtle said glaring. She pointed over to a spot under a sink, "It's over there. It got washed out."  
  
A small thin book with a shabby black cover was lying soaking wet under the sink. Harry moved towards it, but Ron stopped him. Harry looked, "What?"  
  
"Don't be stupid, it could be dangerous."  
  
"Dangerous? It's a book. How can it be dangerous?"  
  
"You'd be surprised. Father's told me some frightening stories about books the Ministry's confiscated. One burnt people's eyes out. Another, Sonnets of a Sorcerer, made all who read it speak in limericks for the rest of their lives. And then there was the one that an old witch in Bath had that you could never stop reading. You just wandered around with your nose in it and had to do everything with only one hand…"  
  
"All right… I get it." Harry said, stopping Ron before he could continue on. He looked at the small soggy book and ducked under Ron. "We won't find out unless we look at it."  
  
Harry picked it up and looked at it. It was a diary, and the faded cover told him it was fifty years old. He eagerly opened it. The first page had a name that he could just make out, "T.M. Riddle."  
  
"Hang on," Ron approached cautiously. "I know that name. He got an award for special services to the school fifty years ago."  
  
Harry stared at Ron amazed, "How'd you know that?"  
  
"I had to polish his shield about fifty times in detention. That was the one I burped slugs all over. You'd remember too if you wiped slime off a name for over an hour."  
  
Harry carefully peeled the wet pages apart. They were all blank, not even a trace of writing on them. "He never wrote in it." Harry said disappointed.  
  
"Wonder why someone would want to flush it."  
  
Harry shrugged. He turned the book over and saw the name of a variety store on Vauxhall Road, London printed on the back. "He must have been Muggle born." Harry said.  
  
"Well it's not much use to us." Ron said. He leaned over and whispered in Harry's ear. "Fifty points if you get it through Myrtle's nose."  
  
Harry shook his head and stuffed the diary in his pocket.  
  
~~  
  
Autumn sat in one of the large window turrets along a hallway that was not traveled often by students. She hugged her knees to her chest as she looked out over the moonlit snowy ground.  
  
Terrence walked, stopping when he heard sniffling from down a deserted hallway. He walked down slowly, carefully stopping at a petite figure curled against a window. "Autumn?"  
  
Autumn jumped and looked up, "Oh. Hello Terrence."  
  
Terence frowned and sat down by her on the cold stone. "What's wrong? You shouldn't be out alone this late. It's not safe."  
  
"I'm okay. Just an argument with Draco."  
  
"About Harry?"  
  
Autumn opened her mouth and stopped. She couldn't really get into it without revealing her brother's secret so she simply nodded.  
  
"I'm sorry. He'll come to understand eventually Autumn."  
  
Autumn shrugged, "What happens will happen. How are you?"  
  
"Okay. Worried."  
  
"About?" Autumn watched him as he sat by her.  
  
"Well," Terrence blushed a bit despite himself, "I just noticed that Ginny seems to have changed since school started."  
  
"Changed?" Autumn looked a bit confused.  
  
"Well, she doesn't smile anymore, she's pale and she's always jumpy and upset."  
  
"It's just because of the chamber and the attacks."  
  
"I think its something else. She's a pureblood. She doesn't have any reason to be scared."  
  
"I understand, but its still frightening."  
  
Terrence smiled, "Yeah, I guess so. Come on. It's cold here. We should get back to the common room."  
  
Autumn stood with Terrence's help. "Thanks."  
  
"Thank you Autumn." Terrence smiled and the two set off.  
  
~~  
  
At the beginning of February, Hermione finally left the hospital wing, de-whiskered, tail-less and fur-free. On her first evening back, Harry showed her the diary and told her how they'd found it.  
  
"Hmmm, it might have hidden powers." Hermione said, examining it closely.  
  
"Well it's hiding them really well if it does." Ron watched her. "Maybe it's shy. Don't know why you didn't just chuck it Harry."  
  
"I want to know why someone did try to chuck it." Harry said. "I'd also like to know how Riddle got an award for special services."  
  
Ron leaned back in his chair. "Could've been anything. Maybe he got thirty O.W.L.s or saved a teacher from the giant squid. Maybe he murdered Myrtle, that would have done everyone a favor…"  
  
Harry could tell from Hermione's expression that she was thinking what he was thinking.  
  
"What?" Ron looked at the two of them.  
  
"Well, fifty years ago, the Chamber of Secrets was opened. Right? That is what Malfoy said."  
  
"Yeah…" Ron said slowly.  
  
"This diary is fifty years old." Hermione tapped it excitedly.  
  
"So?" Ron said, not quite catching on.  
  
"Oh Ron, wake up." Hermione snapped. "We know that whoever opened the Chamber last time was expelled, fifty years ago. We also know that T.M. Riddle got an award for special services to the school, fifty years ago. What if, Riddle got his award for catching the Heir of Slytherin? His diary might tell us everything… where the chamber is, how to open it and what lives in it. The person behind the attacks wouldn't want that just lying around."  
  
"That's brilliant Hermione. It's absolutely brilliant except for one little flaw. There's nothing written in the diary."  
  
Hermione was already pulling her wand out of her bag as Ron spoke. "It might be invisible ink."  
  
Ron and Harry watched as she tapped the diary three times and said, "Aparecium!"  
  
Nothing happened. Hermione reached into her bag and pulled out a large bright red eraser. "It's a Revealer. I bought it in Diagon Alley." She rubbed hard on the first page, but nothing happened.  
  
Ron shook his head. "I'm telling you, there's nothing there. Riddle got a diary for Christmas and just couldn't be bothered with writing in it."  
  
~~  
  
"He's of no danger to you." Snape eased an arm around Morgana's shoulders.  
  
"I wish I could believe that." Morgana looked up at him.  
  
"I promise you Morgana, I will allow no harm to come to you."  
  
Morgana nodded, "I just wish… I wish he would leave me alone."  
  
"I know. I don't know how he's getting the letters to you. That in itself is a feat."  
  
"That's what scares me." Morgana sighed and took one last look at the letter before tossing it into the fire.  
  
Snape watched her. "Run along. You'll be missed and supper has already started."  
  
Morgana stood and kissed his cheek. "I'll see you there."  
  
Snape watched her go. Once he could no longer hear her footsteps echo in the hall he left to find Dumbledore.  
  
~~  
  
Harry didn't know why he kept the diary and didn't throw it away. He kept picking it up and flipping threw it even though he knew it was blank. The name even seemed to mean something to him as if it was an old friend, but he knew he'd never heard it before now. It was as if T.M. Riddle had been an old friend, but that was ridiculous. He'd never had friends before Hogwarts.  
  
Harry was determined to find out more so the next day he went to the trophy room to see Riddle's award accompanied by an intrigued Hermione and an unconvinced Ron.  
  
Riddle's shield was tucked away in a corner. It didn't have any details about why Riddle had received it. They also found Riddle's name on an Old Medal for Magical Merit and on a list of old Head Boys.  
  
"Sounds like Percy." Ron wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Prefect, Head Boy, probably top in every class."  
  
"You say that like it's a bad thing." Hermione said slightly offended.  
  
~~  
  
Autumn walked the rows of books searching for the specific one she needed for her paper in the History of Magic. She smiled as she heard Ron and Harry's voice coming from a nearby corner. She moved towards them, hoping to get a moment to chat with Harry.  
  
"You should give it to a professor Harry. What if its just lying in wait for the right moment to catch you off guard."  
  
"It's a book Ron. It's just a book."  
  
"Harry, I told you about different books that my father…"  
  
"I know Ron. Just… let it drop. This could be the key to solving the mystery of the chamber."  
  
Ron shook his head, "Fine. But I warned you."  
  
Harry nodded and opened the book, fingering the pages.  
  
Autumn watched from behind the row of books. She knew the book that Harry held in his hands. She recognized the worn cover, even though it fairly simple. It had once been housed in her father's library. She remembered that as a young child, she'd gotten a hold of the book and gotten into trouble for it. She wondered how Harry had gotten a hold of it.  
  
She walked out of the shadows and over to the table, "Hi Harry."  
  
Harry looked up and quickly shoved the diary into his bag. "Autumn, hi."  
  
"What's that book?"  
  
"It's just a book, nothing important."  
  
Autumn watched him and frowned. She wasn't sure why he was hiding it from her or why he was lying to her. She nodded, "Right. Well, I just wanted to see how Hermione was doing."  
  
"She's okay. Should be out of the hospital ward soon."  
  
"Good. Well, um…" Autumn could feel the tension in the air as Harry held his bag shut and Ron watched the two of them, "I'll… see you later."  
  
Harry watched her turn and go. He hated lying to her, but she might be like Ron, except in one way. She might turn him and the diary in. Harry waved, "See ya later Autumn."  
  
Autumn headed towards a new section of books. She glanced one last time over her shoulder at him; worry crossing her face as she saw the book in Harry's hands again.  
  
~~  
  
As the weather improved, everyone's moods in the castle seemed to improve as well. The Mandrakes were becoming moody which meant that they were aging rapidly and leaving child hood. Harry overheard Madame Pomfrey telling Filch, "The moment their acne clears up they can be repotted. Then it won't be long until we can cut them up and stew them. Mrs. Norris will be back to normal in no time."  
  
Harry wasn't quite sure why, but the attacks had stopped for now. He thought maybe because the school was so alert and everyone so suspicious that it was riskier to open the Chamber. Or maybe the monster was hibernating. The Hufflepuffs were still convinced Harry was guilty and Peeves didn't help any still singing his song.  
  
Lockhart seemed to think he was responsible for ending the attacks. Harry overheard him talking to Professor McGonagall outside of Transfiguration class.  
  
"I think the trouble is over Minerva. I bet the Chamber is locked for good this time. The culprit probably knew I'd catch him eventually. Better to stop now before I caught him. You know Minerva, the school needs a morale-booster. Get rid of those bad memories from last term. I won't give away the surprise now, but I think I know just the thing to do it."  
  
Lockhart's morale-booster was revealed on February fourteenth. Harry ran into the Great Hall a bit late because of a late-running Quidditch practice and stopped short. He pinched himself to make sure he wasn't having a nightmare. And then took a careful look around to make sure he was in the right place. The walls of the Great Hall were decorated in large pink flowers. Heart shaped confetti drifted from the ceiling below. Harry slowly walked over to the Gryffindor table where Ron sat looking sick and Hermione was giggling. "What's this?"  
  
Ron motioned over to the teacher's table, too disgusted to speak. Lockhart was wearing pink roes that matched the decorations and was waving for silence. The teachers on either side of him didn't look too pleased. McGonagall had a muscle twitching in her cheek and Snape looked like he'd been forced to drink a large beaker of Skele-Gro.  
  
"Happy Valentine's Day!" Lockhart announced. "I'd like to thank the forty-six people who have sent me cards thus far! I took the liberty of arranging this surprise for you all and there's more!"  
  
Lockhart clapped his hands and in marched a dozen dwarfs dressed in golden wings and carrying harps. "These are my friendly, card-carrying cupids!" Lockhart beamed. "They will be delivering valentines through out the school! And this isn't all! I'm sure my colleagues will be delighted to enter into the spirit of the occasion! Perhaps you can ask Professor Snape to teach you how to make a Love Potion! And Professor Flitwick knows a great deal about Entrancing Enchantments, the sly old dog!"  
  
Snape looked as though he'd force feed poison to anyone who asked him about a Love Potion and Professor Flitwick turned bright red, hiding his face in his hands.  
  
"Please tell me Hermione that you weren't one of the forty-six who sent him a Valentine." Ron asked her as they left the Great Hall. Hermione ignored him searching her bag for something, avoiding the question.  
  
~~  
  
All day long the dwarfs would barge into classes to deliver valentines at the annoyance of teachers and sometimes those who were on the receiving end.  
  
Fred and George snickered as one of Lockhart's cupids cornered Oliver in the hall outside of class. They listened intently as the cupid began to sing a valentine.  
  
Oliver Wood the Quidditch King  
  
My knees wobble from your bewitching grin  
  
Oliver Wood the one I adore  
  
From this day forth, my heart is yours.  
  
They snickered as Oliver tried to escape throughout the entire thing. His cheeks were bright red, while Angelina stood next to him, her eyes narrowed into tiny slits.  
  
"You get the feeling it isn't from her?"  
  
"How'd you guess George? Could it be the sudden temperature drop from her icy cold stare?"  
  
George chuckled, "If it wasn't her, who do you reckon… sent…"  
  
George stopped as he and Fred came to the same conclusion, "Maria."  
  
"You don't think she'd really have braved it and sent it?"  
  
"It was anonymous." Fred shrugged. "In any case, there's only one real way to find out."  
  
George turned and headed out to find their cousin, Fred close behind.  
  
~~  
  
"Whoa there." Marissa said as Fred bumped into her.  
  
"Where are you two off in such a hurry?" Alissa crossed her arms over her chest. "Off to create more havoc?"  
  
"None of your business." George said raising a brow.  
  
"We're looking for Maria." Fred grinned  
  
"Have you tried the library?"  
  
"On our way there now." George looked at Alissa. He reached into his pocket and pulled two foil wrapped candies. "Want a chocolate?"  
  
Marissa looked at Alissa hesitantly. "Lockhart was giving them out in the dining hall." Fred told them.  
  
Alissa took one and sniffed it as she unwrapped it. "Smells like chocolate."  
  
Marissa took a tiny nibble. "Tastes like chocolate."  
  
"What?" Fred looked hurt.  
  
"Don't you trust us?" George pouted  
  
"No. We don't." Alissa poked him.  
  
"Well, it's safe. We promise." Fred smiled. What the girls didn't see was their fingers behind their back, crossed.  
  
Marissa and Alissa ate the chocolate. "Thanks." They went to answer. But instead of their speaking voices, it came out in a song. "Thank you oh thank you good kind sirs."  
  
Alissa's eyes went wide and she looked at her sister, covering her mouth.  
  
"Why… you…" She wanted to say, but instead of her words, a song came out again, "Why you, why you, you tricked us you did."  
  
Marissa kept her mouth shut her eyes narrowed at the boys. Fred and George had already started down the hall. "Toodles." Fred said, taking off in a run.  
  
"Have fun in class!" George grinned before taking off after him.  
  
Alissa groaned as she and her sister just stood there still stunned, trying to figure out what to do.  
  
~~  
  
Draco handed Hermione a card that was bewitched to twinkle around the hearts.  
  
"What's this?" Hermione asked with a soft smile.  
  
Draco blushed slightly. "To make up for not getting you anything at Christmas," he said.  
  
Hermione smiled. "You didn't have to," she said, opening the card. Inside where flowers and stars, sparkling and twirling on the card. "Happy Valentine's Day to a Wonderful Friend" flashed across the parchment of the card. Hermione looked around quickly and hugged Draco. "Thank you," she whispered in his ear.  
  
Draco smiled. "You're welcome," he said. They promised to meet later before separating.  
  
~~  
  
Harry headed to Charms class when one of the dwarfs caught up to him. "Oy, you! 'Arry Potter!" The dwarf shouted, elbowing people out of his way as he ran to catch up to Harry.  
  
Harry turned red at the thought of receiving a valentine in front of a line of first years including Ginny Weasley and Autumn Malfoy. Harry tried to escape, but the dwarf reached him before he could.  
  
"I've got a musical message to deliver to you in person." He twanged his harp in a menacing manner.  
  
"Not here." Harry said trying to escape.  
  
"Stay still!" The dwarf hollered grabbing Harry's bag and pulling him back.  
  
"Let go!" Harry tugged at his bag that split in two with a loud ripping noise. Everything spilled onto the floor, his inkbottle smashing over everything. Harry scrambled to try and pick everything up before the dwarf could start singing. They were creating a holdup in the corridor.  
  
"What's going on here?" Draco's voice could be heard through the crowd.  
  
Harry tried to move faster before Malfoy could hear his musical valentine.  
  
"What's the hold up here?" Percy had arrived.  
  
Harry tried to run, but the dwarf tackled him and sat on down on his legs. "Right, here's your singing valentine:  
  
His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad,  
  
His hair is as dark as a blackboard.  
  
I wish he was mine; he's really divine,  
  
The hero who conquered the Dark Lord."  
  
Harry wished he could just vanish. He tried to laugh with everyone else, as he got up, his legs numb from the dwarf's weight. Percy tried to disperse the crowd, "Off you go. The bell ran five minutes ago. Everyone get to class. And you Malfoy…"  
  
Harry watched as Draco reached over and picked something up. Harry realized in horror that he had Riddle's diary. "Give it back Malfoy."  
  
"So what has Potter written in this?"  
  
Draco hadn't noticed the year on the cover and thought it was Harry's. The crowd fell silent. Ginny paled looking from the diary to Harry a look of pure terror on her face.  
  
"Give it back to Harry, Malfoy." Percy said sternly.  
  
"When I've had a look." Draco said, waving the diary tauntingly.  
  
"As a school prefect…" Percy started, but was unable to finish. Harry had lost his temper and pulled out his wand pointing it at Malfoy, "Expelliarmus!"  
  
The diary shot out of Draco's hands and Ron caught it with a large grin.  
  
"Harry! I'll have to report you. No magic is to occur in the hallways." Percy shouted.  
  
Harry didn't care. He was one up on Draco and that was worth a deduction of points from Gryffindor any day. Draco looked furious. Ginny tried to pass him to get to her class and he yelled spitefully at her, "I don't think Potter liked your valentine much!"  
  
Ginny's face turned a red to match her hair and she ran in. Ron pulled his wand, but Harry pulled him away. Ron didn't need another slug incident.  
  
It wasn't until they got to Charms class that Harry noticed something odd about his diary. All of his other books were drenched in scarlet ink from the smashed inkbottle, but the diary was clean. He tried to show Ron, but Ron was having wand trouble again. This time large purple bubbles blossomed out of it and he wasn't really interested in anything but trying to stop them.  
  
~~  
  
Terence rounded a corner of the hallways on his way to class from the library. He was reading the book he'd borrowed. He was so engrossed in it that he didn't hear the footsteps running down the hall in his direction.  
  
Autumn ran as fast as she could, tears streaming down her cheeks. She didn't see Terrence until she'd collided with him.  
  
Terrence caught Autumn as they stumbled. He frowned as she looked up at him, her eyes red from crying. "Autumn? What's wrong?"  
  
Autumn looked over her shoulder and sniffled, "Not here."  
  
Terrence looked and pulled her into an empty classroom. "Now, What's got you so upset?"  
  
Autumn trembled as she tried to get the words out, "I… I… s…sent Harry… a…. a…"  
  
Terrence listened carefully trying to figure out what she was trying to tell him. "A what Autumn?"  
  
Finally Autumn sobbed loudly, "A Valentine!"  
  
Terrence grinned at her, "Well Autumn, that not so bad. Is it?"  
  
"He thinks Ginny Weasley sent it to him."  
  
Terence sat down and eased her into a chair next to his. "Why would he think that?"  
  
"Draco."  
  
"Ah." Terrence looked at her thinking. He took Autumn's hands. "Then tell Harry the truth."  
  
"I… I can't."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"He'll… he'll laugh at me. Or he'll get angry."  
  
"Autumn…"  
  
"He was furious with getting the Valentine Terrence. You didn't see him."  
  
"I don't think he'll be angry with you Autumn."  
  
"But he was so mad in the hallway."  
  
"I bet… he was just embarrassed. If he knew you sent it…"  
  
"I can't… I just… can't tell him. I'm too scared."  
  
Terrence nodded, trying to comfort her. "I understand."  
  
"What do I do?"  
  
"Just talk to him."  
  
"There's too much going on. I don't think I'd be able to."  
  
"That's how I feel about Ginny."  
  
"We're quite the pair aren't we?"  
  
Terrence chuckled. "Yeah, we both give the same advice to each other, but neither of us listens to it."  
  
Autumn blushed grinning slightly, "Thanks Terrence." She hugged him tightly.  
  
Terrence gave her a bear hug, and then wiped a tear from her cheek. "You're welcome Autumn. You know, you're like a little sister to me. Sometimes I dream that I had a sister. I bet she'd be a lot like you."  
  
"You'd be a great older brother Terrence. WE should go. You have Quidditch practice soon."  
  
Terrence nodded and stood up with her. Together they left the room and headed for their common room.  
  
~~  
  
After searching all of her usual study haunts, Fred and George finally located Maria in a quiet corner of the library.  
  
George eased onto the bench beside her and grinned, "Bewitching grin…"  
  
"Quidditch King… not your best work cousin dearest." Fred had eased onto the bench on her other side, blocking her in.  
  
Maria blanched before bright red spots rose on her cheeks. "I… I… d...don't know…"  
  
"What you're talking about." Fred finished her words in a singsong voice.  
  
"Your cheeks tell another story." George eased the book out of her limp hands.  
  
Maria looked at them both and then down at her hands. Her voice trembled as she whispered, "You won't tell him will you."  
  
Fred's grin softened and he looked at George over her lowered head, "Nah… but… Maria…"  
  
"Be careful. Oliver's well, he's… dating Angelina." George watched her concerned.  
  
"I know." Maria looked up at them, "But… she…"  
  
"Has a lot of pull with the other girls." Fred stopped her.  
  
"And, she can be pretty ruthless." George added with a sigh.  
  
Maria pushed her hair back and shook her head. How could she possibly get them to understand? George eased an arm around her, "And well. There's also this problem that Oliver has."  
  
"Problem?"  
  
George nodded, "Yeah, Oliver doesn't really notice much outside of Quidditch."  
  
I think you're wrong about that."  
  
"We just don't want you to get hurt Maria." George rested a hand on hers.  
  
"I know."  
  
"Let us talk to him." Fred playfully nudged her.  
  
Maria's eyes went wide and she shook her head, "NO!"  
  
"Maria…"  
  
"Please, no. I've liked him since we started here. A little bit longer isn't going to make a difference. I can handle wanting him from afar, and knowing I can never have him."  
  
Fred and George both watched her, not so sure about her words being true. "Alright, but if you change your mind…"  
  
"I'll find you."  
  
"See ya later then, we'll be late for class."  
  
Maria nodded and watched them leave. She tried to immerse herself back into her studies and temporarily block Oliver from her mind, something that was becoming increasingly difficult to do.  
  
~~  
  
Harry went to bed before anyone else that night. Partly because he couldn't stand Fred and George's teasing anymore. Alissa and Marissa had tried to get them to lay off Harry. They seemed to have a bit of a soft spot and felt bad for him in a way. But Harry also wanted to examine Riddle's diary again.  
  
Harry sat on his bed and flipped through the blank pages. There wasn't a drop of ink on any of them. He pulled out a new bottle of ink and dipped his quill in. He dropped a blot of ink on the first page of the diary. The ink shimmered for a moment and then it was sucked into the page and vanished. Harry felt excitement rise in his body as he dipped his quill again and wrote, "My name is Harry Potter."  
  
The words shined on the page before slowly sinking and vanishing. This time, something happened. Out of the page, in his own ink, works oozed onto the page. "Hello Harry Potter. I am Tom Riddle. How did you find my diary?"  
  
These words faded away, but not before Harry had started to answer. "Someone threw it down the toilet." He waited eagerly for a reply  
  
"Fortunately I recorded my memories in a more permanent manner than ink. I knew that there would be some who would not want this diary to be read."  
  
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.  
  
"This diary holds memories of awful times. Memories that were covered up. Things that happened at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."  
  
"That's where I'm at." Harry wrote. "I'm at Hogwarts and awful things are happening now. Do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?"  
  
Harry's heart hammered in his chest. Riddle's reply came quicker, a bit untidy as he was hurrying to tell Harry everything.  
  
"Yes, I know about the Chamber of Secrets. In my time it was said to be a legend and that it did not truly exist. This was a lie. In my fifth year, the Chamber was opened and several people were attacked. One student died. I caught the culprit and he was expelled. The Headmaster, Professor Dippet, was ashamed and forbade me from telling the truth. They created a story that the girl had died in a freak accident. They gave me an award and told me to keep quiet. I knew though, that it would happen again. The monster still lived and the person responsible was not imprisoned."  
  
Harry nearly tipped his inkbottle over as he hurried to answer. "It's happening now. There have been three attacks, and no one has any answers. Who was it last time?"  
  
"I can show you. You don't have to take my word for it, but I can take you into my memories. If you'd like."  
  
Harry hesitated at Riddle's response. He didn't understand what Riddle meant. How could he enter someone's memories? He glanced over at the dorm door and then looked back at the diary. New words had formed, "Let me show you."  
  
Harry paused and then answered, "OK."  
  
The pages of the diary turned and stopped halfway through the month of June. A little square on June the thirteenth seemed to have turned into a tiny television screen. Harry raised the book and pressed his eye to the little window and before he knew what was happening, he was tilting forward and the window was widening. He felt himself pitch headfirst into the open page as the world dissolved into colors and shadows. Harry felt his feet his solid ground and he stood slowly, taking a look around as everything came into focus.  
  
He recognized the office. It was Dumbledore's office, but Dumbledore did not sit behind the desk. A frail looking wizard who was mostly bald was reading a letter by candlelight. The wizard didn't' look up. Harry frowned and neared the desk, "Um. I'll just go."  
  
The wizard ignored him. Harry thought maybe he was deaf so he raised his voice, "Sorry to disturb you. I'll just leave now."  
  
The wizard folded the letter, stood up and drew the curtains in his window. The sky was ruby red showing it to be sunset. The wizard sat down and watched the door.  
  
Harry looked around. He slowly realized that this was the Hogwarts that Riddle had known. This was a past Headmaster and Harry was just a phantom, completely invisible to him. Harry turned, as there was a knock on the door behind him.  
  
"Enter." The old wizard said feebly.  
  
A young boy about sixteen entered. A prefect's badge shined on his chest. He was taller than Harry but had jet-black hair.  
  
"Ah, Riddle."  
  
"You wished to see me Professor Dippet?" Riddle appeared nervous.  
  
"Sit down. I just read the letter you sent me."  
  
"Oh." Riddle said, his hands held tightly.  
  
"I cannot allow you to stay here over the summer. Surely you'd like to go home during the summer?"  
  
"No sir. I'd rather stay here then go back to… to that…"  
  
"You live in a Muggle Orphanage?" Dippet asked curiously.  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"You are Muggle born?"  
  
"Half-blood sir. Muggle father, witch mother."  
  
"And your parents are both…"  
  
"My mother died when I was born. She named me after my father and grandfather."  
  
Dippet nodded sympathetically. "Tom, special arrangements could have been made, but with the current circumstances."  
  
"You mean the attacks?"  
  
"Yes my dear boy. You see how foolish it would be for me to allow you to stay here. Especially in light of the recent tragedy and that poor girls' death. You will be safer at the orphanage. The Ministry of Magic is talking about closing the school and we are no closer to finding out the source of all this.  
  
Riddle's eyes went wide, "If the person was caught sir. If it stopped?"  
  
Dippet sat up I his chair. "Riddle, what do you mean? Do you know something about the attacks?"  
  
"No sir." Riddle answered quickly.  
  
Harry was sure it was the same sort of no he himself had given Dumbledore.  
  
"You may go Tom." Dippet looked disappointed.  
  
Harry followed Riddle out of the room and down the spiral staircase. Riddle stopped and Harry stopped as well. He could see that Riddle was thinking. Suddenly Riddle raced off, as a decision seemed to be met. Harry followed him. Harry didn't see the other figure in the hall until he called to Riddle.  
  
"What are you doing up this late Tom?"  
  
Harry stared in wonderment. It was a fifty year younger Dumbledore.  
  
"I had to see the headmaster sir." Riddle answered.  
  
"Well, go on to bed now." Dumbledore studied Riddle. "Best not to roam the corridors. Not since…"  
  
Riddle and Harry watched Dumbledore disappear. Harry followed Riddle down the stone steps to the dungeons. To Harry's disappointment Riddle did not lead him to a secret passageway or tunnel, but to the dungeon where Harry had Potions. The torches weren't lit and with the door nearly closed, Harry could only just see Riddle who was watching the passage outside.  
  
Harry felt like they stood there for nearly an hour. Just when Harry was starting to give up, he heard movement beyond the door. Someone else was in the passage and they'd past the dungeon where he and Riddle were hiding. Riddle edged through and followed, Harry behind him. They followed the footsteps and then Riddle stopped, his head inclined in the direction of a voice whispering to someone.  
  
"C'mon… gotta get yeh outta here… C'mon now… get in the box…"  
  
Harry tried to place the voice. It was so familiar.  
  
Riddle jumped from around the corner and Harry followed. He could see the outline of a large boy crouched next to an open door, a large box next to it.  
  
"Evening Rubeus."  
  
The boy slammed the door shut and jumped up. "What yer doin' down here Tom?"  
  
Riddle stepped towards him. "It's all over. I'm turning you in Rubeus. They're going to close Hogwarts if the attacks don't stop."  
  
"What d'yeh…"  
  
"I don't think you meant to kill anyone, but monsters don't make good pets. I guess you just let it out for exercise and…"  
  
"It never killed anyone!" The large boy backed against the closed door from which Harry could hear a clicking sound and an odd rustling.  
  
"Rubeus. The dead girl's parents will be here tomorrow. At least we can make sure that the thing that killed her is slaughtered…"  
  
"It weren't him!" The boy roared. "He wouldn'! He never!"  
  
"Stand aside." Riddle drew his wand.  
  
Riddle's spell lit the corridor and the door behind the large boy flew open knocking him into the opposite wall. Harry let out a long piercing scream when the thing behind it immerged. It had a low-slung body, a tangle of black legs, hundreds of eyes and razor sharp pincers. Riddle raised his wand again, but it was too late. The thing bowled him over and scuttled away. Riddle took aim again, but the large boy knocked in to him and seized the wand, "NOOOO!"  
  
The scene whirled and darkness enclosed Harry. He could feel himself falling and with a crash he landed spread eagle on his bed. Riddle's diary lay open on his stomach. Before he could regain his breath, the dorm door opened and Ron came in. "There you are."  
  
Harry sat up, shaking and covered in sweat.  
  
"What's up?" Ron looked concerned.  
  
"It was Hagrid Ron. Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago."  
  
~~  
  
Hermione was studying as she sat on the floor in front of the sofa. Draco was directly behind her, playing with the ends of her hair in the ponytail she was wearing. It was an unconscious thing he started doing when they studied together. Draco was reading through his Potions book while Hermione worked on Transfiguration.  
  
"Draco, can I ask you something?" Hermione asked as she continued to write out notes.  
  
"Sure," Draco said, twirling a lock of her hair around his finger.  
  
"I heard you wanted me dead," Hermione murmured. "That if there was a victim of this… whatever it is that's roaming the halls, that you hoped it was me."  
  
Draco paused. He looked down at the top of Hermione's head that was still bent over her homework. "Where did you hear that?" he asked.  
  
Hermione turned to look at him. "Does it matter?" she asked. "Did you say it?"  
  
Draco swallowed nervously. "I said it in the Slytherin common room to Crabbe and Goyle," he said softly.  
  
Hermione felt her heart ache. "Why?" she asked.  
  
Draco looked down. "I don't know," he said. "But I didn't…"  
  
"Mean it right?" Hermione asked. She started to gather her books together. "You never seem to mean it. But yet you keep saying it."  
  
"Hermione…" Draco started.  
  
"No just don't," Hermione said. "It's perfectly obvious that this means nothing to you."  
  
"Don't put words in my mouth," Draco said.  
  
Hermione paused at the door and looked at him. "I don't have to," she said. "You put enough in there yourself." She stormed out, leaving Draco to stare after her. 


End file.
